WestJet has denied compensation to a religious Taylor Swift fan whose cancelled flight triggered a 10-hour drive by way of the night time from Prince George to make the singer’s exhibits in Vancouver final month.
Carol Hansson says she and different Swifties on the flight incurred tons of of {dollars} in prices after the cancellation lower than 24 hours earlier than Swift took the stage for the primary of three live shows at BC Place.
She says the Calgary-based airline informed her the cancellation was resulting from “unplanned plane upkeep” and was required for security functions.
WestJet confirms that in a written response and says Hansson is due to this fact not eligible for compensation below Canada’s Air Passenger Safety Rules.
The rules say that in conditions “inside airline management however required for security functions,” airways have obligations for a passenger’s remedy and completion of their itinerary — however not compensation.
Hansson says WestJet delayed the night flight from Prince George for about 5 hours, earlier than cancelling the Dec. 5 service.
Airways are additionally obliged below the rules to supply alternate journey in the identical class of service for disruptions past three hours, however Hansson says she was provided a Dec. 8 flight that might have meant lacking all three of Swift’s exhibits.
As an alternative, she joined a bunch of different passengers to lease a automobile for the 750-kilometre drive, setting off at midnight and finally making it to Vancouver on Dec. 6 forward of the primary present that night time.
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Hansson attended all three live shows at BC Place.
She stated the price for her unused lodging for Dec. 5 was $900, and the rental automobile value was $770.
Whereas she was in a position to cut up the prices of each, Hansson stated she sought $400 in compensation from WestJet.
“It’s ridiculous for an organization to not even try to work with you with some type of compensation,” she stated.
In its written assertion, WestJet stated it provided to re-accommodate Hansson on one other flight to Vancouver but it surely didn’t work with the schedule for the live shows.
“On the visitor’s request, a refund was processed for the outbound flight together with a baggage price,” WestJet’s assertion stated.
Hansson stated that accepting the Dec. 8 flight that might have meant lacking the ultimate exhibits of Swift’s Eras Tour was “positively not an possibility.”
She stated she “would have been livid” if the cancellation had meant lacking any of the exhibits. Different passengers in Swift-themed outfits had been additionally on the gate, she stated.
“It’s a service that you simply pay for, that they need to try to do all the pieces they will to proceed to offer that service,” she stated.
“And relatively than even providing to have a flight earlier within the morning or add a flight through the day in order that we might all make it there in time for our live performance, it’s like they only didn’t care.”
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