WestJet has provided fresh details about the repercussions on the airline of a freak hailstorm in August that damaged 16 of its aircraft at Calgary International Airport (YYC) in Canada.
WestJet released a statement on August 14, 2024, along with a video of the carrier’s President and CCO Diederik Pen, explaining the wide-ranging complications that have been subsequently caused by the severe weather event on August 5, 2024.
WestJet said it was continuing to issue “proactive cancellations for the foreseeable future” as it looks to safely return the 16 Boeing 737 aircraft as soon as possible.
However, the airline admitted that an “assessment of the damage determined that sourcing specialized equipment and materials and completing repairs and inspections will take several weeks”.
https://t.co/ABXKg622eG pic.twitter.com/xBn0WoefRK
— WestJet (@WestJet) August 14, 2024
WestJet is currently cancelling an average of 50 flights per day, however, it anticipates fewer cancellations will be required as aircraft are returned to service in a phased approach.
“We share in Canadians’ frustration for the unpredictable nature of this summer travel season and are incredibly disappointed that the compounding impacts of last week’s hailstorm continue to disrupt the travel plans of our valued guests,” Pen said.
He added: “Our dedicated Tech Ops teams have travelled from across our network to Calgary and Toronto where they are working around the clock to return our fleet to its full capacity. We thank everyone for their patience and support and are committed to doing everything in our power to minimize the impact on our guests and our people.”
WestJet said it is adding additional flights operated by WestJet Encore and partner, Canadian North, to help reduce cancellations.
Since the hailstorm, WestJet has cancelled over 600 flights, impacting more than 20,000 passengers.