WestJet strike affects thousands in Regina over long weekend

The fate of a summer getaway was up in the air for WestJet travellers over the Canada Day long weekend with the airline’s mechanics going on strike.

James Bogusz, president and CEO of the Regina Airport Authority, said over the weekend 22 departures were canceled out of Regina, impacting thousands of customers.

“This (was) one of the busiest weekends in terms of summer travel, and it was devastating if you were flying on a WestJet plane as a result of this strike,” he said.

Because of the disruption, Bogusz said the airport had extra staff to communicate with passengers and ensure they were comfortable.

“WestJet is certainly our dominant carrier, which means we have more seats with that airline than anyone else,” he said.

While the airline announced it reached a tentative deal with its mechanics on Saturday, it stated that because of the significant impact on the network, disruptions will continue in the coming weeks.

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As of Tuesday morning, Bogusz said there have been three cancellations with the airline in Regina.

Over the weekend Bogusz said the airline did a “really good job” communicating with the airport, noting he is also thankful for the cooperation from airport passengers.

Bogusz reminds travelers with WestJet to sign up for the airline’s automated notifications via email or text message to stay informed about upcoming flights.

According to WestJet on Tuesday afternoon, a total of 1137 flights were canceled due to the labour disruption, with over 100,000 passengers affected.

One hundred and twenty-five of WestJet’s 180 fleet is now up and running.