WestJet continued to ramp up operations on Friday in an effort to restore the long weekend travel plans of thousands of passengers upended by flight cancellations before the airline reached a last-minute deal with its pilots.
Travellers stuck at airports expressed frustration with cancellations and delays, while others took to social media with stories of ruined vacations.
WestJet warned that the full resumption of operations will take time, and encouraged travellers to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
WestJet and the Air Line Pilots Association announced a tentative deal to avoid the job action early Friday morning after eight months of negotiations.
Bernard Lewall, head of the Air Line Pilots Association91裸聊视频檚 WestJet contingent, said the union achieved its main goals: better pay, job security and work-life balance.
91裸聊视频淲e did receive significant wage increases,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e secured our futures through job protection 91裸聊视频� and we91裸聊视频檝e had improvements to our work-life balance.91裸聊视频�
Aviation expert John Gradek called it a 91裸聊视频渓andmark agreement,91裸聊视频� saying it will set the standard for labour negotiations going forward.
91裸聊视频淲hat you91裸聊视频檙e seeing is a tectonic shift starting to appear in terms of the way in which union and management labour relations are going to evolve in Canadian aviation,91裸聊视频� said Gradek, a former Air Canada executive and head of McGill University91裸聊视频檚 aviation management program.
The union will likely apply the same approach in bargaining with other airlines, he said.
91裸聊视频淭he pilot wage rate in Canada is going to go up, there91裸聊视频檚 no doubt about it,91裸聊视频� Gradek added.
But he said pilot wages rising likely won91裸聊视频檛 lead to higher prices for consumers, because of competition from ultra low-cost carriers.
While the tentative agreement avoided a strike, many travellers were still confronted by cancelled flights and foiled holiday plans.
WestJet cancelled 231 flights from Thursday through Saturday, topping the global list two days in a row, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.
The shutdown affected dozens of routes within Canada and to the U.S. and overseas, while flights at the WestJet Encore regional service and the WestJet-owned Sunwing Airlines were unaffected.
At Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Pearson Airport, WestJet travellers described cancelled and delayed flights, mainly to Central and Western Canada.
Tommy Gilligan was set to be on flight to Calgary early Friday for a family wedding and holiday in Banff, Alta.
91裸聊视频淭hey told us at 4:30 in the morning that it was going to be delayed, and now they just cancelled it,91裸聊视频� the 65-year-old from Burlington, Ont., said.
91裸聊视频淢y wife pulled some strings and we91裸聊视频檙e on a six o91裸聊视频檆lock flight tonight. I91裸聊视频檓 not happy right now 91裸聊视频� my whole family91裸聊视频檚 waiting for us.91裸聊视频�
The strike-related scheduling chaos with Canada91裸聊视频檚 second-largest airline is 91裸聊视频� totally ridiculous91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渘ot one bit fair to us,91裸聊视频� Gilligan said. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think I91裸聊视频檒l use WestJet after this weekend.91裸聊视频�
Other travellers shared his frustration with the airline91裸聊视频檚 handling of the situation, while also expressing support for the pilots.
Diran Adenugba, 44, was at the airport for a flight home to Saskatoon, the final leg in his return journey from Atlanta. His original flight was scheduled to leave Thursday evening, but was cancelled after WestJet grounded planes ahead of the strike deadline.
91裸聊视频淚 was rescheduled to fly out this morning at 9 a.m.,91裸聊视频� Adenugba said. 91裸聊视频淚 got here to find out that flight was cancelled yet again.91裸聊视频�
He was rebooked on an afternoon flight to Saskatoon via Winnipeg, and said he has his fingers crossed he will get out of Toronto on Friday.
Still, despite the inconveniences, Adenugba remained sympathetic to the grievances of pilots.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not a pilot,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ut if I were in their shoes, I91裸聊视频檇 want my demands to be met.91裸聊视频�
Travellers will likely blame the labour dispute and ensuing flight disruptions on WestJet, not the pilots, Gradek said.
The airline 91裸聊视频渨as concerned about the value of the brand and their market share,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲estJet basically said, 91裸聊视频楲et91裸聊视频檚 cut our losses.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
Still, the bill for hundreds of cancelled and delayed flights will be 91裸聊视频渋n the millions91裸聊视频� for WestJet, Gradek said.
WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the agreement with the pilots provided 91裸聊视频渕eaningful improvements to job security and scope, working conditions and wages.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e appreciate we were able to arrive at a deal, however, recognize the impact on our guests and we sincerely appreciate their patience during this time,91裸聊视频� he said.
Meanwhile, Lewall with the union said the deal involves both financial and lifestyle gains for pilots.
The latter includes the ability for pilots to reschedule, trade or drop so-called deadheads 91裸聊视频� when an airline requires a pilot to commute to a different airport than where they live to start their duty.
The union also secured the right to find a pension for the pilots, he said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e pretty excited about the whole package,91裸聊视频� Lew all said, noting that the contract will help solve many of WestJet91裸聊视频檚 pilot attraction and retention issues.
The deal will be developed into a tentative agreement over the coming days, with a roughly one-week voting period to follow shortly thereafter, he said.
91裸聊视频淓ven though it was a very contentious time, last night after the agreement we all got together, shook hands and had a drink together,91裸聊视频� Lewall said. 91裸聊视频淭he interactions with the company were always very professional, and never heated, so I91裸聊视频檝e got to tip my hat to the company.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频擝rett Bundale, The Canadian Press
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