Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[Bigtime]

You'll be stuck in Hawaii, could be worse.

[calf]

"Sorry boss, can't come home yet with the strike and all"

[I-Hate-Hulse]

I'd rather be stuck in Hawaii than say, Ft St. John for sure, but I'd also rather not be working the phone lines for a day in Hawaii trying to get through to the WJ Travel center and making alternate plans. I'll be toting around a 2 & 4 yr old too.

If I'm hearing you all right - WJ won't be automatically re-booking me and it'll be up to the stranded individual to book alternatives themselves.

Awesome.

[Bigtime]

There is also the chance that they sub in some charter operators to get people. Companies like Hifly, Euro Atlantic and others that have metal around for that kind of stuff. I think a few years ago they even used a 747 charter to clear backlog out of YYZ after a storm.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

So as someone who will be in Hawaii when the WJA strike is supposed to happen - what do I do if the flight is cancelled?

Do I have to look for alternative flights, or will WestJet do that for me? Who bears the cost?

FWIW ALPA says they won't strike over the May long weekend even though they may be in a position to do so. However I guess a lockout or at least partial cancellations might not be out of the question (Hawaii might not be a place the company would want one of their few 767's to be stranded if they are shut down).

[Ryan Coke]

There won’t be any type job of action over the long weekend.

[Amethyst]

I travelled to Grenada a few years back, when Air Canada was threatening to strike. A part of me was wishing that I'd get stuck there but no such luck.

[Simanium]

Even if there is a strike, would they really ground the entire fleet of Westjet? I understand the union wants to show their strength, but they probably understand that alienating the customer base affects themselves as well. I'm thinking it might be only be certain flights (maybe 50% of routes?), as opposed to every flight being cancelled. That would be chaos and would affect the revenue and confidence in the airline, which affects how much the union gets.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I think a few years ago they even used a 747 charter to clear backlog out of YYZ after a storm.

I was in Toronto that day looking to make it home for Christmas with a few CPers including Josef being over from Germany at the time. I've never seen an airport such a mess. Planes would de-ice, then wait for a runway too long, then have to re-fuel and de-ice again.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Simanium

Even if there is a strike, would they really ground the entire fleet of Westjet? I understand the union wants to show their strength, but they probably understand that alienating the customer base affects themselves as well. I'm thinking it might be only be certain flights (maybe 50% of routes?), as opposed to every flight being cancelled. That would be chaos and would affect the revenue and confidence in the airline, which affects how much the union gets.

I would assume that the union does shut down the entire operation of mainline Westjet. The only way it doesn't happen is if a tentative deal gets put in place next week or the Feds put forward a back to work legislation to stop the strike before it happens. In those two situations I can't see a deal being reached next week but I could see the Feds getting involved in the same way that they did with Air Canada.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Simanium

Even if there is a strike, would they really ground the entire fleet of Westjet? I understand the union wants to show their strength, but they probably understand that alienating the customer base affects themselves as well. I'm thinking it might be only be certain flights (maybe 50% of routes?), as opposed to every flight being cancelled. That would be chaos and would affect the revenue and confidence in the airline, which affects how much the union gets.

That's the rub though, if only 50% of the flights operated you'd end up with stranded passengers for connections, planes without crew to operate the next leg, and a whole mess of other operational problems. WestJet would be better off to just cancel everything if they do strike.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I think a few years ago they even used a 747 charter to clear backlog out of YYZ after a storm.

Found it!
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...onto-1.2490523

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I would assume that the union does shut down the entire operation of mainline Westjet. The only way it doesn't happen is if a tentative deal gets put in place next week or the Feds put forward a back to work legislation to stop the strike before it happens. In those two situations I can't see a deal being reached next week but I could see the Feds getting involved in the same way that they did with Air Canada.

Originally Posted by Bigtime

That's the rub though, if only 50% of the flights operated you'd end up with stranded passengers for connections, planes without crew to operate the next leg, and a whole mess of other operational problems. WestJet would be better off to just cancel everything if they do strike.

I just wonder if they would scrub everything or at least try and keep Encore operating. Obviously connections would be pretty much un-doable but lot's of people are travelling short haul Encore only so that might be workable. I don't recall what Jazz did last time the AC mainline pilots were on strike.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I just wonder if they would scrub everything or at least try and keep Encore operating. Obviously connections would be pretty much un-doable but lot's of people are travelling short haul Encore only so that might be workable. I don't recall what Jazz did last time the AC mainline pilots were on strike.

Encore will not be on strike. The pilots are not part of the same union and Westjet would not ground Encore and scrub that little bit of revenue. If anything Westjet might look at re-route some Encore aircraft onto some mainline routes like YYC-YVR but I don't know what the logistics are for that.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Just called my credit card and a few other insurance companies. As it turns out, neither Capital One or TD's credit card products cover strikes for trip interruption (when an event happens during your trip). Delay appears to be covered, but not cancellation of the flight.

RBC "claims" their standalone product would have covered this, but of course will not issue coverage now that the date has been announced.

WJ has said they will refund (not sure if prorated) but unfortunately it looks like we're on our own for the incremental cost of booking last minute airfares if needed....

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Encore will not be on strike. The pilots are not part of the same union and Westjet would not ground Encore and scrub that little bit of revenue. If anything Westjet might look at re-route some Encore aircraft onto some mainline routes like YYC-YVR but I don't know what the logistics are for that.

Exactly. Which is why I was speculating on the feasibility of keeping things partly operational. Has ALPA formally organized at Encore? (I know they do not have a contract either but have voted to unionize IIRC). If so there also exists the possibility some of those pilots might choose not to cross any picket lines.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Exactly. Which is why I was speculating on the feasibility of keeping things partly operational. Has ALPA formally organized at Encore? (I know they do not have a contract either but have voted to unionize IIRC). If so there also exists the possibility some of those pilots might choose not to cross any picket lines.

ALPA doesn't represent Encore pilots and I don't believe that Encore has unionized.

[vegasbound]

When is the deadine for signing a new agreement before any strike happens (if there is a deadline?). I guess I got lucky and booked Kelowna -> Phoenix (3 day stay) -> Vegas and none of those flights on WestJet but I am supposed to be meeting up with friends for a bachelorette party in Vegas and they are all flying WJ, going there on the 22nd.

[Hockeyguy13]

I don’t know the status of the Encore pilots in regards to the strike but they are definitely in the same union as WestJet mainline pilots. They joined ALPA in November.

However, it is not their contract that is in question but they fall under the same seniority list as the mainline pilots so I’m interested to see what stance they take.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy13

I don’t know the status of the Encore pilots in regards to the strike but they are definitely in the same union as WestJet mainline pilots. They joined ALPA in November.

However, it is not their contract that is in question but they fall under the same seniority list as the mainline pilots so I’m interested to see what stance they take.

You are right. Encore pilots are unionized under ALPA. I had to go back through the news because for some reason I forgot that they organized as well.