Hundreds of WestJet passengers could see their flights cancelled ahead of a potential flight attendant strike as early as Sunday after the union representing the airline’s flight attendants gave WestJet a 72-hour strike notice early Thursday morning.
While travellers may be stressed about solidifying their travel plans, experts say they should wait until WestJet reaches out.
John Gradek, head of the aviation management program at McGill University, noted the onus is on the airline to make alternative arrangements for passengers.
“The regulations specify that WestJet has to, first of all, cancel the flight, then get a hold of you — text you, message you, email you, call you — and offer you alternative transportation,” he said. “And the objective is to get you to your destination within 48 hours of your original flight.”
Air Passenger Rights president Gabor Lukacs, meanwhile, warned that passengers have more rights if they wait for WestJet to cancel the flight rather than cancelling it themselves.
“Sit tight,” he cautioned.
Cancellations could be made pre-emptively
WestJet is allowing travellers with flights scheduled between July 30 and Aug. 4 to make a one-time change or cancellation with no fee.
The carrier said passengers booked on the regional WestJet Encore service or code-share flights run by an airline partner, such as Delta Air Lines, will not be affected by a strike.
WestJet had also said that in the event of delays of cancellations, affected guests would be refunded or reaccommodated “as applicable.”
Lukacs of Air Passenger Rights warned that passengers will have “substantially more” rights that are “legally binding” if WestJet cancels flights rather than if the passengers themselves cancel.
If the airline cancels a flight, the passenger has rights under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) and, if they’re flying internationally, they also have rights under the Montreal Convention, he explained.
The APPR gives passengers more rights if a carrier cancels a flight before — rather than after — a strike has already begun. While a strike is considered under the Canadian law to be “outside” the airline’s control, pre-emptive cancellations would be considered “fully in the carrier’s control,” Lucaks said.
If the carrier cancels the flight before a strike begins, then the passenger would be entitled to the maximum rights under the APPR, which would include cash compensation up to $1,000, meals and accommodation, and the airline rebooking the passenger on the “next available flight” with a competitor airline at no additional cost to the traveller, he said.
The protections under the Montreal Convention, meanwhile, don’t change very much if the carrier cancels the flight before or after a strike has started, he said.
The Montreal Convention — which only applies to international flights — also covers lost wages or other incurred costs like tickets for an event that a passenger missed due to a flight disruption.
Should passengers accept a refund?
While it’s WestJet’s responsibility to rebook a passenger whose flight was cancelled at no extra charge, it’s up to the traveller if they want to accept the change or not, Gradek said.
“If you do not accept it, the carrier has to refund you,” he said.
Someone who is travelling to a time-sensitive event, such as a wedding, might choose this option. For example, the traveller may need to reach their destination on Sunday, but the airline may only be able to rebook them to arrive on Monday, Gradek said.
Lucaks, however, advised passengers not to accept refunds in the event of a cancellation because then, “the airline can walk away from the obligation to transport you.”
In this case, a passenger could be entitled to $400 in compensation under the APPR, but they could lose the right to the airline owing them meals, accommodation, or alternate transportation.
Lucaks also suggested passengers “document everything,” such as recording calls with the airline, and if the airline doesn’t pay what they owe the passenger within 30 days, to go to small claims court.
Going through the federal government, he said, would take several years.
WestJet aims to manage flight impacts if strike takes place
WestJet, for its part, responded to the union’s strike notice by issuing a 72-hour lockout notice.
“The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union, was not one that was made lightly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests,” said CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech in a statement.
The airline warned that if a strike does take place, it will attempt to manage impacts “as much as possible,” including “communicating with guests” ahead of flight cancellations or changes.
“Should flight delays or cancellations occur, impacted guests will be refunded or reaccommodated, as applicable,” the statement read.
Passengers anxiously await updates
Edmonton resident Gani Suleman said he hasn’t been excited to pack for an upcoming family wedding in Edinburgh on Aug. 6 as he worries his flight will be cancelled.
He and his family have a flight from Edmonton to Calgary on Saturday and Calgary to Edinburgh on Sunday, all through WestJet.
After booking through a third-party agency, Suleman said he’s keeping an eye on other flights to Edinburgh.
“We have been told that the only thing we can do is wait,” he said. All the wedding activities and trip arrangements are non-refundable and have “gone to waste,” Suleman added.
Bonnie Thompson, a resident from Duncan, B.C., has been waiting months to go on a family trip with her daughter and grandson to London, U.K., where they were hoping to meet extended family from Iceland.
Thompson booked the WestJet tickets in November 2025, when she said she didn’t even think a strike could happen. Their flight is scheduled to depart from Victoria International Airport on Friday at 3 p.m.
“I’ve always booked WestJet and never had an issue,” she said. “This will be my first.”
With files from Josh Rubin, Xavier Mesquita and The Canadian Press
Correction — July 30, 2026
An earlier version of this story said that WestJet had started cancelling flights. In fact, as of Thursday evening, the airline had not yet cancelled any flights and the data shared with the Star by Cirium showing that flights were cancelled appears to be incorrect.
