Disruption planning is not for the faint of heart, and takes months of advance preparation. At the same time, navigating a real-time total wind-down of operations with hours of notice has a way of sharpening focus on what, and who, matters.

Travel advisors know all about what WestJet was facing in the last days of July and very early days of August – because they were facing it too, working around the clock to rebook clients. Shortly after the strike notice from CUPE and WestJet’s 4,400 flight attendants, WestJet began parking aircraft, then initiated an organized take-down of its network. By the early hours of Aug. 2 the strike was on. The list of network-wide cancellations impacted more than 600 flights by the time the tentative agreement was reached on Aug. 3. 

What the trade might not know about were the behind-the-scenes decisions at those high-stakes times. WestJet sent travel advisors and the trade notice of the work stoppage hours ahead of client communications. There was the option to re-book air-only clients on alternate carriers using WestJet protection agreements. There was also an early launch for the flexible change policy. Most importantly for travel advisors, there was commission protection.

“It Was an Intentional Decision”

“With these types of disruptions, we don’t always have time on our side,” WestJet’s VP, Sales & Cargo, Amanda Ierfino, said.

The ticking deadline counting down to a strike is real, and the hours immediately after the strike starts are crucial. “With the labour action being taken at 12:01 a.m. MT, it meant our team was sending communications to the trade at 3 a.m. MT to ensure partners felt properly informed and supported,” said Ierfino.

“While these moments can be chaotic, it was an intentional decision to reach out to partners a few hours before we communicated to impacted guests. We wanted our partners to know what to expect when the time came to assist impacted clients. Giving travel advisors some advance notice to digest the information allowed them to be better prepared to advise clients on what policies were available, before they had to start actioning bookings,” she said.

This was also the first time WestJet gave travel advisors the ability to self-serve re-accommodations on alternate carriers using pre-negotiated agreements. Ierfino called this “a significant step in the right direction to support our partners.” Before, agents would have had to call WestJet’s travel support team to request this type of change.

Commission Protection

Upheaval in the travel industry – now seemingly the new-normal – is two-fold for travel advisors. While the primary focus is advising and rebooking clients, concerns about commission protection also loom large. 

During the disruption, commissions were protected on WestJet Vacations and Sunwing Vacations packages July 30 – Aug. 4, and also on WestJet air bookings through Aug. 6. It was a decision made as the airline industry deals with heavy financial impact due to high and unpredictable fuel costs. We asked Ierfino how the decision came about. 

“When we make any corporate change or decision that may impact travel advisors, we always consider the important role they play in supporting our mutual clients. We know how much time our partners dedicate to advising and rebooking clients, particularly during situations like the recent labour action. Protecting commission was one way we could show our appreciation for all they do, and it was a commitment we made from the outset of our disruption planning,” she said.

Ratification Vote & Lessons Learned

Just how much did those protected commissions cost? WestJet won’t disclose that number. But the move to protect commission got positive feedback from travel advisor partners and ACTA, as did the early introduction of the flexible change/cancel guidelines. “They appreciated our recognition of the significant time and effort they invest in supporting our mutual clients, as well as the need for them to be able to provide reassurance and support to clients who had concerns about their upcoming travel plans,” said Ierfino.

The ratification vote on the tentative deal closes this coming Monday, Aug. 24. As aviation industry expert John Gradek said earlier, ratification on agreements isn’t a formality, and a no-vote would reopen strike or lockout risk on 72 hours’ notice. We asked Ierfino about lessons learned from the early August go-round. “Communicating early and often to our trade partners was something that worked well,” she said. “We intend to continue ensuring our partners get a heads-up before guests so they can support as best as possible. We also have rolled out more self-serve functionality for guests booked through the trade who experience a disruption within 72 hours. Disruptions can happen at any time – nights, weekends or on holidays – so in the event a travel advisor is unable to support, we want to ensure the client has options.”

Winter 2026-2027

We also wanted to know what this winter has in store. Earlier this week WestJet announced its winter sun 2026/27 preview, with its largest-ever schedule to Latin America and the Caribbean. “Substantial investments” in operational reliability means the airline will be better prepared and recover faster in winter operations, said Ierfino.

There’s up to 1,252 weekly flights across 88 unique nonstop routes between Canada and destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, and overall capacity to the region will increase 12% year over year. 

WestJet is also strengthening its position as Canada’s largest airline to Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Aruba.

Ierfino said WestJet is excited to launch the only direct service between Western Canada and South America as part of its winter schedule, with new nonstop flights between Calgary and São Paulo, Brazil on the Dreamliner. “We’ve made strategic investments in communities across the country to bring more flights to the vacation destinations Canadians are looking for,” she said.

Source: Travelweek