WestJet has begun offering rebooking or refunds for some flights because early August strike action is possible. But what you get depends on the ticket you bought.
From Yellowknife, WestJet currently operates flights to and from Calgary and Edmonton.
The airline’s flight attendants could go on strike as early as August 2 as bargaining continues over issues that their union says relate to wages, unpaid work and scheduling.
A strike is not confirmed. The two sides could reach a deal in the interim or negotiations could continue into August without a strike being formally called.
However, WestJet has begun offering passengers “flexibility to adjust their travel plans” from July 30 to August 4 in anticipation of a potential strike.
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What that actually means depends on the type of ticket you bought.
One Yellowknife resident contacted Cabin Radio on Saturday to complain that whereas WestJet is “offering no-fee changes and cancellations,” they discovered their tickets for international travel – worth some $15,000 – could not be simply refunded to their original form of payment, like a credit card.
Instead, WestJet said it would put the money in what it calls the WestJet Travel Bank – meaning the resident could use the money on future WestJet travel in the next year, but not on anything else.
“I have booked an expensive international flight for my family and I am not actually able to get my money back, as WestJet is advertising. I would likely lose this money,” the resident wrote in an email.
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The reason this happens is your refund depends on the amount you spent in the first place.
WestJet does indeed say people with flights between July 30 and August 4, from any airport, can opt for a “one-time change or cancellation with no fee.” It directs customers to what it calls a flexible travel options page for more details.
That page sets out some of the rules around rebooking or cancelling when strike action is possible – but you have to keep clicking to get to the actual page with the refund rules.
You need to read those last two pages together to get a full picture of the rules between July 30 and August 4.
Put simply, unless you bought a PremiumFlex or BusinessFlex fare (or any premium or business fare between Canada and Asia), WestJet’s website states any refund you request is going to your WestJet Travel Bank. You won’t get it back as cash.
The Travel Bank’s own FAQ makes clear that those credits expire a year after you get them.
Normally, various types of fare would also come with a cash penalty for cancelling. That penalty is waived for the July 30-August 4 period.
You can read more about the negotiations on the websites of WestJet and the CUPE union.
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For more about your rights during airline strike action, these guides from Air Passenger Rights produced during Air Canada’s 2025 labour disruption – what happens if a strike cancels your flight or if your flight is cancelled preemptively – are worth reading.
Importantly, WestJet would be obliged to issue a refund to your original form of payment if a strike went ahead and your flight was cancelled without you first cancelling. It can’t direct the refund to the Travel Bank in those circumstances.
The airline is also obliged to rebook you for free, even on a rival airline if need be, if a strike cancels your flight – though you might face a somewhat chaotic situation and a long wait.
There are complexities to some situations, particularly if your flights are international. The above guides are worth reading carefully if you’re affected.
