Ghosted in Paradise: WestJet's Disappearing Act & the Great Seat Shuffle of 2025
Phantom flights, $25 goat stew, and the curious case of the disappearing cancellation emails — all set to Merengue Christmas tunes on loop. Thanks, WestJet.
We don’t usually book resort packages. But when friends are getting married in the Dominican Republic, you show up. You book into the group package, dust off your best beachwear, and you shave those winter gams. (I’d just come from France, so…)
You get ready to celebrate, and did we ever. I can’t remember the last time I danced away an afternoon in a foam party rave. I can barely remember this time, either, but I digress.
The wedding was beautiful and touching, the company excellent, the sun plentiful. We were relaxed, refreshed, and ready to head home.
And then… we weren’t.
Because instead of boarding our WestJet flight back to Toronto, we entered a 30-hour holding pattern of phantom flights, disappearing emails, and surprise seat swaps.
Oh, and a Merengue Christmas soundtrack on loop, to really drive home the Groundhog Day effect.
This isn’t a revenge post, but a PSA. Especially if you’re flying from smaller airports, on bundled deals, or still under the impression that customer service is a thing for Canadian airlines. If you tire of my whinging at any point, scroll down for the tips.
When a 737 Vanishes (and So Does Your Seat)
Our return flight was cancelled, but not before we got to the airport. Not even before our scheduled departure time.
No, the cancellation came well after we should have been airborne, with no clear explanation and even less communication. We all saw ambulances pull up to the aircraft during boarding, and watched as everyone who had made it on was then made to disembark. And then… crickets.
That is, until FlightAware posted that WestJet had cancelled the flight. The fact that passengers revealed this tidbit of info to surprised gate agents was disconcerting.
Here’s what followed:
Assurance from the gate that a new co-pilot was en route (we had figured out through the few passengers who had been able to board that the first officer had injured his foot during the boarding process and was taken away in a wheelchair), only to later learn that wasn’t happening.
News from the gate agents that the only alternate flight later that day was already overbooked by seven people.
Vague assurances that we’d all get home somehow.
Being herded like cattle outside in the heat and yelled at to cram onto the wrong bus. Then more waiting in the sun.
Hours after our scheduled departure, after boarding the bus, finally being told the name of the hotel where we’d be staying overnight.
We received an email two-and-a-half hours after the scheduled departure notifying us we were rebooked for the following day. That email said “One or more flights on your reservation ****** have been disrupted, and the primary reason has been provided in a prior email.”
Except no one had received that prior email.
Aside from that, we received zero official updates via email, text, or the WestJet app. You know, all of those bits of information we give them for every possible channel where they can reach us… but don’t.
Then, while we sat in transit limbo and scrambled to find anything clean enough to wear to another resort buffet dinner, WestJet quietly reopened seat selection for the rescheduled flight.
They let people claim the upgraded seats those of us in premium economy and exit rows — including many tall and big folks who simply don’t fit in economy seats, and people like me who wanted room to work — had already paid for.
I only knew this, of course, through the group, and not via any communication from our airline.
I phoned WestJet. Long distance, as their toll-free line doesn’t work in all of the countries they may leave you in. Spent half an hour on hold. Finally, I reached an agent who was less helpful than not at all, allergic to logical questions, and untruthful in her explanation of why the seats had changed.
(She said we were being fit onto an existing flight and they had to accommodate existing passengers. We learned the next day this was untrue, which makes sense considering our original plane couldn’t have walked itself home overnight.)
I guess I asked too many difficult questions, because she hung up on me.
Exhausted and fed up, we crawled under the single sheet provided on each rock-hard bed, put in the earplugs, and tried to pretend the birthday party down the hall that went into the wee hours of the morning wasn’t happening.
Day Two: Groundhog Day
By 8am, we were already tired but cautiously optimistic. A bus did actually show up to take us back to the airport… score.
There was a lot of confusion at the gate as check-in agents contradicted what we’d been told about our duty-free purchases the day before. Where yesterday’s agents said pack them in your luggage and we’ll forgive any baggage weight overages, today’s agents wanted to impose overweight fees. But passengers fought back.
Others were told our seats had been reassigned (we already knew, but it was news to some). Those who’d paid for premium economy or exit rows found ourselves reassigned to whatever was left, like the middle seat in Row 27. The check-in agent refused to restore our seat assignments, but assured us my 6’4” husband at least had an exit row seat.
It was chaotic, and completely unnecessarily so. But spirits were lifting. We were getting out.
We ran the security and customs gauntlet again. Headed up the escalator, past the same four musicians playing the same few Christmas songs that had echoed the halls for hours the previous afternoon. (If I hear Merengue Jingle Bells one more time…)
Realizing how long that had all taken, the race for food was on.
WestJet had given each passenger a $12 USD ($15 CDN) food voucher at check-in. Unfortunately, the options in the POP airport are extremely limited.
You could choose the completely overwhelmed pizza counter with the $13 USD minimum product price and 20+ min wait times, or the dine-in option with $25 USD chicken fingers or goat stew, among a few other similarly priced options.
With less than half an hour to boarding time to use up these vouchers, some chose not to order in case their food wasn’t ready on time.
And then, we just… didn’t board.
Again, no announcement. No explanation. I watched the online flight tracker as our departure time came and went, and it said we had left on time. Our ghost flight was taken off the airport board and we were in limbo again.
People started to get restless as we watched, helpless, while flight prep procedures stopped. Our baggage sat in carts on the tarmac. At one point, they refueled the plane, then everyone just… sat around.
As far as WestJet and the rest of the world was concerned, we were partway home already.
The communication void was truly bizarre.
Eventually, we were called for boarding, only to hang out in the stifling jet bridge a while longer.
When we finally boarded, we learned those new seat assignments were also not real. As in, the row we were assigned to wasn’t even an exit row. A friend in our group traded to get Trevor his much-needed legroom, and we settled in.
And then we sat. And sat. Over an hour past our revised departure time, still on the tarmac.
It was only at this point that the pilot let us in on the original issue: the flight had been cancelled because the first officer had a medical emergency and left the airport in a wheelchair the day prior. This “rescue” flight (his words, not mine) had a crew from another airline so they could get us out.
The cause of the first delay was unfortunate, and obviously couldn’t be helped. But it was unacceptable that no one in any official capacity had shared that reason until more than 24 hours after it happened, while we were already delayed a second time.
Advice for Avoiding & Surviving Flight Shenanigans
Delays happen. We get it. But what made this experience unnecessarily painful was the complete breakdown in communication between WestJet and its passengers, and within their own operations.
Here’s what we learned, and what you might want to keep in mind:
1. Packages & Preferences Can Limit Your Options
When you’re locked into a package and things go wrong, there aren’t many ways out.
Flying out of smaller airports like Puerto Plata means fewer daily flights, too. From Punta Cana, we might’ve had more options. But that was over 300 km away.
And as I was Googling alternatives, we were watching our baggage sit on the runway, so we couldn’t leave until we had an update and got our bags back from WestJet anyway.
We try not to route through the U.S. for what I hope are obvious reasons at this point. But skipping the U.S. (or another country in your region of travel) also limits your flexibility if something falls apart. Be aware of your alternatives, just in case.
2. Canadian Passenger Protections Are Weak
WestJet resold our premium seats without notice. No refunds were offered at the time. We arrived home more than a full day late, many missing work. We’re filing for that and flight delay compensation now, but the process is slow — and under Canada’s watered-down rules, the outcome is uncertain.
If you can book through or codeshare with an EU-based airline like Lufthansa or TAP, you fall under far stronger European passenger protections.
It’s not always an option, but should be a consideration when dealing with airlines in a country that doesn’t regulate good and fair treatment of airline passengers.
3. Document Everything & Know Your Rights
Save emails, screenshots, receipts. Keep notes on conversations, who said what, and when. If you’re told something verbally by an agent that contradicts what you’ve seen online or received in writing, document it. You’ll need this if (when) you file a compensation or refund claim.
Whatever country you’re in, it’s pretty standard that regulatory agencies expect you to pursue a resolution with the airline first. And that’s fair — file your complaint and give them an opportunity to make it right.
But don’t stop there. If you’re brushed off, delayed endlessly, or offered a voucher instead of a refund you’re entitled to, escalate.
In Canada, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), though be warned: backlogs can stretch for months. Still, having your complaint on file contributes to bigger pressure on the airlines to fix their broken processes.
In the EU, passenger rights under Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 are much stronger. You may be entitled to 250–600 euros in compensation for delays and cancellations, depending on the circumstances. That’s one reason we book through EU carriers when possible — even when flying on Canadian-operated flights via codeshare.
In the U.S., protections are more limited, but the U.S. Department of Transportation does enforce refund rights when flights are cancelled or significantly changed. Complaints can be filed online and often spur a quicker response than contacting the airline directly.
If you used a credit card, you may also be able to dispute a charge for services not delivered — for example, seat upgrades that were resold or baggage fees on flights that didn’t take off.
The key is to be organized, persistent, and informed. It’s not just about this one flight; it’s about holding airlines accountable for the customer experience they’ve promised, and too often failed to deliver.
And too many are unfortunately hoping to tire you out with paperwork.
4. Manage Your Expectations, Not Just Your Itinerary
This was a reminder that you can do everything “right” and still get the short end of the stick. Airlines can’t control every delay, but they can choose how they manage it and communicate with their passengers. And that’s where WestJet dropped the ball — badly.
To their credit, WestJet did keep our group together at a halfway decent hotel. The flight attendants were excellent. Our bags made it home, which isn’t always a given these days.
But overall, this was a preventable mess. Clear, consistent communication could have turned a minor inconvenience into a blip, not a full-blown ordeal.
More and more travelers are telling me they’re done — not just with WestJet, but with Canadian air carriers altogether. Some are skipping flights completely.
Others, like us, now choose destinations based on which non-Canadian carriers service them, just to ensure better protections and fewer surprises. Or they avoid package deals and only book direct with the airlines to and from airports with high service levels, so it’s easier to make a change.
Do whatever works for you, not only in a best case scenario but also when it all goes sideways. Sometimes, it will.
Final Thoughts: You Can’t Pack for Everything
Travel comes with curveballs. That’s part of the deal, and even the most seasoned travelers get sideswiped by things beyond their control.
But there’s a difference between unpredictable and unacceptable.
Airlines can’t prevent every delay, but they can decide how they respond. They can communicate clearly, respect the time and money of the people funding their operations, and offer something better than silence and a voucher that doesn’t cover your lunch.
You can’t prepare for everything. But you can prepare yourself with knowledge of your rights, screenshots of your receipts, and the calm resolve to follow up when you’re being brushed off.
“Things happen” shouldn’t mean customers have to absorb the full cost — financially or emotionally — while the airline disappears behind a wall of bureaucracy.
WestJet’s “rescue” effort got us home. But the lack of transparency, accountability, and basic respect left a mark. And that’s what I hope to help others avoid.
Until the system changes, the best we can do is stay informed and flexible… and maybe keep a granola bar in your bag. Something that won’t melt in the 30 degree heat, just in case your next palm tree with a Christmas soundtrack comes with an extra side of tarmac.
✌🏻 Miranda
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