Passengers scheduled to fly on WestJet from 30JUL to 04Aug may make a one-time change or cancellation free of charge, the airline says.
The airline, which is involved in a labour dispute with flight attendants, sent an email to WestJet Rewards members Thursday about the opportunity.
About 97% of WestJet Mainline flight attendants, represented by CUPE Local 8125, voted in favour of strike action last week, giving the union's bargaining committee a mandate for job action if a new contract isn’t reached by 02AUG.
However, the vote doesn’t guarantee a walkout; as previously reported by Open Jaw, union leadership has repeatedly stressed that a strong result is meant to strengthen its hand at the table, not automatically trigger labour action.
"We believe that an agreement can be reached while avoiding guest disruption. However, we understand that uncertainty around travel plans can be concerning," WestJet told members.
"I'm sure [the labour dispute] has introduced a lot of uncertainty for [passengers], and I think it's the responsibility of the organization to allow for flexible changes to the people who pay my mortgage," said CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain to CBC News.
She also said the email to members doesn't mean the strike is going to happen but added it's something that any responsible business would do.
"What I do know is that they've been at the bargaining table with us and both sides are committed to reaching a deal," she said.
