'We felt stranded:' Northern passengers left to their own devices after flight cancellations

Victoria Brenton and her fiancé, Jim Sheehan, left for Pearson Airport at the crack of dawn on June 19, careful not to wake their 4-month-old baby, but when they arrived at the airport they realized their WestJet trip to Yellowknife had been cancelled. 

What followed was a week-long ordeal, which included many hours at airports, on the phone, and in hotels to get back home to Yellowknife.

"Frustrated would be the best word to describe how we were feeling. Also annoyed because we felt helpless because no one could help us. Anytime we asked someone, they would tell us to stand in a lineup," said Brenton, a Yellowknife high school teacher.

Large air carriers, such as WestJet and Air Canada, are cancelling flights in an attempt to address clogged airports and consequential delays. Meanwhile, passengers describe being left to their own devices to make alternative travel plans. 

For Brenton and her family, that meant waiting seven hours in a "kilometre-long" line to talk to someone at the WestJet service counter. Once they reached the front of the line, they were told the earliest flight they could get to Yellowknife was the following Thursday, four days later. 

"We felt stranded. Like, we were lucky that we had family around the Toronto area to stay [with]," said Brenton. "Otherwise, I can't imagine staying in a hotel for four days with a baby, because that's what they were offering us."

They said they booked a flight for the following Sunday, this time out of Hamilton, Ont., in hopes of avoiding the chaos at Pearson. 

Unfortunately, that flight was delayed four hours, meaning they'd miss their layover in Calgary. Luckily, they caught it this time after repeatedly checking the WestJet app the night before their trip. 

They said they called the WestJet helpline and spent two hours on the phone figuring out accommodations. WestJet provided them with a night at a hotel in Calgary and food vouchers that could be used at the airport or the hotel restaurant.

When they finally arrived in Yellowknife on June 28, they put in a claim for passenger compensation.

"Jim did miss a week of work, so that's a lot of money to be missing out on, so hopefully they can accommodate our claims," said Brenton.

In line with the Air Passengers Protection Regulations, WestJet offers financial compensation for passengers who were informed 14 days or less that arrival to their destination would be delayed for reasons within WestJet's control.

Air Canada cancels dozens of flights

Flight cancellations are becoming increasingly common as large air carriers try to address delayed flights and long wait times at check-in.

Eight per cent of flights in Canada were cancelled in June 2022, according to a DataWazo flight statistics project.

Air Canada recently announced it would be cutting 154 flights per day this summer to support "unprecedented and unforeseen strains" as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These cancellations apply primarily to flights to and from Toronto and Montreal, but they have a ripple effect, impacting flights across the country.

A 20-hour drive to make up for cancelled flights

Amy Badgley is set to get married this August in Nanaimo, B.C., but cancelled flights put a snag in those plans.

About a week ago, the Yellowknife resident got a notification from Air Canada that her family members' flights from Charlottetown had been cancelled.

Badgley said she could find little help when trying to find alternative flight options. The notification just came with instructions for how to cancel the flight and book a new one.

"That was extremely stressful. I wasn't sure what I was going to do because I can't get married without my family there, especially my mother," said Badgley. "But also, I can't cancel my wedding or re-plan my wedding because I have so many deposits paid already."

With flight prices rising by the day, Badgley's family scrambled to find a solution. They eventually landed on booking a flight from Halifax to Edmonton.

"We chose that route because it was the only price-comparable flight option to get them there because I booked these tickets like two or three months ago, and now everything has gone up in price," said Badgley. "So if I had them still fly from Charlottetown to Nanaimo, it would have cost me triple what I originally paid for the flights."

There will still be extra costs that come with these new travel plans, said Badgely. Now, her family members plan to drive from Charlottetown to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, and fly to Edmonton. There, Badgley's younger brother will pick them up and drive them to Nanaimo.

All this means paying for hotel stays, gas and the Confederation Bridge toll.

"To avoid them flying through Toronto and avoid paying triple what I had originally paid, they're now having to drive close to 20 hours total," said Badgley.

Even though their new travel plans are now solidified, Badgley said she still feels stressed.

"I feel frustration, panic and anxiety that my mom is not going to be there. I still feel that now because I'm worried that they're going to cancel something again," said Badgley.