In response to a CBC News investigation, WestJet has admitted it mistakenly told passengers that hurricane-related airport restrictions had forced it to cancel Turks and Caicos flights.
The airline now says it actually cancelled flights from Oct. 11 to Dec. 16 for business reasons. It’s currently contacting affected passengers to apologize.
Patricia Mombourquette of Edmonton says she never quite believed WestJet’s original explanation. “I was suspicious and didn’t feel that they were being upfront at all.”
She and three friends were set to fly from Toronto to Turks and Caicos on Nov. 8 to celebrate her 50th birthday at a resort.
On Oct. 15, the four women learned WestJet had cancelled their flight and would refund their money.
Mombourquette asked the airline for added compensation considering they had to rebook at a much later date with Air Canada and the tickets were slightly more expensive.
She was denied.
Instead, WestJet told her in an email that “due to damage caused by Hurricane Irma,” which struck in early September, it had to cancel flights to Turks and Caicos.
WestJet said its hands were tied because the local airport authority had instructed the airline to suspend service until Dec. 15.
Mombourquette thought the explanation didn’t add up because numerous other airlines were still flying to Turks and Caicos, including Air Canada.
“It’s very suspect that WestJet is the only airline being told not to fly in,” she said. “I wanted to respond and say, ‘This is bunk.'”
Local airport says it’s open
After hearing Mombourquette’s story, CBC News contacted the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority. It denied it was preventing WestJet from landing at its international airport.
“I don’t know why WestJet would still be using that as an excuse when it’s not based on fact,” spokesperson Lavern Skippings Reynolds said.
According to her, Providenciales International Airport has been fully operational since Sept. 11 with the exception of a one-day closure on Sept. 22 due to Hurricane Maria.
She says WestJet is the only commercial airline that hasn’t returned to the airport. In fact, on Nov. 5, it even added a new carrier, Southwest Airlines.
“The airport is fully open for business,” Skippings Reynolds said.