Parents Miss Kid's Birthday Due to WestJet Strike

They went on a trip to celebrate their 10-year anniversary. It was their first time traveling without their three daughters.
The couple's return trip from San Francisco was very chaotic due to the WestJet strike. They got home to Calgary three days late and missed their youngest daughter's second birthday.
The father, Matt Krakowski, said they missed a special moment that they can never get back. He told CBC News about it the morning after he got home.
He said no travel credit or reimbursement can replace the time they lost with their daughter.
WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees reached a deal to end the strike that canceled many flights.
The WestJet cabin crew union shared details of the deal after the strike.
Some travelers from New Brunswick were stuck overseas because of the WestJet strike.
The union that represents WestJet flight attendants wanted them to get paid from the time they check in until they clock out.
The strike left many passengers stranded during the busy summer travel season. Between August 1 and August 6, WestJet canceled 929 flights.
On August 2, all of WestJet's flights were canceled. The company usually flies around 50,000 passengers per day.
CBC News tried to contact WestJet about the couple's situation, but the airline did not respond before publication.
The couple booked their anniversary trip to San Francisco in January. They flew from Calgary on July 29 and were supposed to return on August 2.
They felt a little sad to leave their kids with their grandparents, but it was their first time doing something special just for themselves.
They knew about the possible strike the week before they left, but they had already made deposits on tours and activities in San Francisco.
The couple said if they canceled their trip, they would not get much of their money back.
So they went on the trip and had a great time.
They checked in for their return flight the night before and upgraded their seats. Then, they woke up to an email that their direct flight to Calgary had been canceled.
WestJet automatically rebooked them on a new flight, but it was inconvenient and would get them home late at night.
Before they could leave for their new flight, WestJet sent them another email: their connecting WestJet flight had been canceled.
The strike ended, but flight delays continued.
The couple was still booked on the August 2 flight from San Francisco to Anaheim, but then they had to stay in Anaheim for two days and pay for their own accommodations.
They thought it was crazy to travel somewhere just to come back to the same place.
The couple did not want to travel just because the airline wanted to put them on a plane.
From Anaheim, they were booked to fly to Seattle, then have a nine-hour overnight layover, and finally fly to Calgary on August 5.
They tried to cancel their flights to and from Anaheim, but they could not get through to anyone at WestJet.
They had no choice but to board their flight to Anaheim or risk their entire reservation being canceled.
Their daughter's birthday was on August 3, and the family celebrated without them.
The couple missed celebrating their daughter's birthday, but they plan to throw a make-up party soon.
They finally made it back to Calgary on August 5, just in time to pick up their daughters from daycare.
The couple spent at least an extra $1,000 on the two days they were stuck in Anaheim, and they each missed two extra days of work.
The father said he is really frustrated with the whole situation.
He supports the flight attendants, but the strike affected many people, including him and his wife.
Some travelers from Winnipeg struggled to rebook their flights after the strike.
A couple from the U.K. got stuck due to the WestJet strike and said they would never return.
According to Canadian regulations, airlines are only responsible for covering air travel in cases of labor disputes.
Airlines do not have to help domestic passengers with other expenses during delays and cancellations.
Travelers who were stranded internationally are usually entitled to more compensation, such as hotels and meals.
The airline is responsible for damages caused by delays.
The father said he still has not heard from WestJet, but he plans to contact them again.