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Prince George woman denied compensation from WestJet after cancelled flight

The cancellation was due to 91Ƶunplanned aircraft maintenance91Ƶ and was required for safety purposes
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Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour concert, in Vancouver on December 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WestJet has denied compensation to a devout Taylor Swift fan whose cancelled flight triggered a 10-hour drive through the night from Prince George to make the singer91Ƶs shows in Vancouver last month.

Carol Hansson says she and other Swifties on the flight incurred hundreds of dollars in costs after the cancellation less than 24 hours before Swift took the stage for the first of three concerts at BC Place.

She says the Calgary-based airline told her the cancellation was due to 91Ƶunplanned aircraft maintenance91Ƶ and was required for safety purposes.

WestJet confirms that in a written response and says Hansson is therefore not eligible for compensation under Canada91Ƶs Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

The regulations say that in situations 91Ƶwithin airline control but required for safety purposes,91Ƶ airlines have obligations for a passenger91Ƶs treatment and completion of their itinerary 91Ƶ but not compensation.

Hansson says WestJet delayed the evening flight from Prince George for about five hours, before cancelling the Dec. 5 service.

Airlines are also obliged under the regulations to offer alternate travel in the same class of service for disruptions beyond three hours, but Hansson says she was offered a Dec. 8 flight that would have meant missing all three of Swift91Ƶs shows.

Instead, she joined a group of other passengers to rent a car for the 750-kilometre drive, setting off at midnight and eventually making it to Vancouver on Dec. 6 ahead of the first show that night.

Hansson attended all three concerts at BC Place.

She said the cost for her unused accommodation for Dec. 5 was $900, and the rental car cost was $770.

While she was able to split the costs of both, Hansson said she sought $400 in compensation from WestJet.

91ƵIt91Ƶs ridiculous for a company to not even try and work with you with some sort of compensation,91Ƶ she said.

In its written statement, WestJet said it offered to re-accommodate Hansson on another flight to Vancouver but it didn91Ƶt work with the schedule for the concerts.

91ƵAt the guest91Ƶs request, a refund was processed for the outbound flight along with a baggage fee,91Ƶ WestJet91Ƶs statement said.

Hansson said that accepting the Dec. 8 flight that would have meant missing the final shows of Swift91Ƶs Eras Tour was 91Ƶdefinitely not an option.91Ƶ

She said she 91Ƶwould have been furious91Ƶ if the cancellation had meant missing any of the shows. Other passengers in Swift-themed outfits were also at the gate, she said.

91ƵIt91Ƶs a service that you pay for, that they should try and do everything they can to continue to provide that service,91Ƶ she said.

91ƵAnd rather than even offering to have a flight earlier in the morning or add a flight during the day so that we could all make it there in time for our concert, it91Ƶs like they just didn91Ƶt care.91Ƶ

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