WestJet travel still hampered by planes damaged in Calgary storm

Over 10 per cent of Westjet’s fleet remains grounded after a hail storm in Calgary early in the month caused significant damage.

This has caused, and will continue to cause, WestJet cancellations nationwide.

Prince George Airport Authority CEO Gord Duke said Prince George has not been immune to this.

“There have been a few cancellations, there have also been a few downguages… which has affected capacity,” he said, adding “We can infer it is due to the shortage of aircraft but there is a lot of reasons that flight delays and cancellations occur.”

In a statement made last week, WestJet said they expect more proactive cancellations throughout August as they work to repair all 16 impacted planes.

Duke said heavy hail causes “The skin of the aircraft [to] get dimpled the same way a car does, like a golf ball.”

“If it is your car, you can still drive. The aerodynamics of an airplane are really negatively impacted by any dent or damage to the aircraft’s skin,” he explained. “Some will be back in service within a matter of days, others will take a while to repair.”

YXS is also reminding people traveling, especially with WestJet, to check their flights regularly for scheduling changes and stay as informed as possible.

Meanwhile, Air Canada pilots could be going on strike as soon as mid-September if a union deal is not reached.

Duke said his understanding is both parties want to get a deal done before a possible strike and the airport is “optimistic they will be able to get a deal done.”