Yahoo Finance WestJet cancelling average of 50 flights a day as plane repairs expected to take weeks
WestJet announced on Wednesday that it will continue proactively cancelling flights – an average of 50 per day – through August as the airline works to bring the 16 aircraft that were damaged by a hailstorm in Calgary back into service.
The Calgary-based airline says it will “continue issuing proactive cancellations for the foreseeable future,” after comprehensive assessment of the damaged aircraft “determined that sourcing specialized equipment and materials and completing repairs and inspections will take several weeks.”
"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," Diederik Pen, WestJet’s chief operating officer, said in a news release.
WestJet says it is currently cancelling an average of 50 flights per day, but it expects that number to go down as aircraft return to service “in a phased approach.”
WestJet grounded 16 planes – amounting to more than 10 per cent of its fleet – after a massive hailstorm hit Calgary earlier this month. The Calgary International Airport was pummelled by hail, forcing parts of the domestic terminal to close for repairs for an undetermined time.
Experts say airfares may go up in the immediate aftermath of the hailstorm, as a significant scale-back in capacity will likely boost demand at other airlines and push up ticket prices during the peak summer travel season.
With files from The Canadian Press
Alicja Siekierska is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow her on Twitter @alicjawithaj.
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