WestJet to continue cancelling flights as they work to repair planes damaged by hail

WestJet says planes damaged during a massive Calgary hailstorm likely won’t be back in service for several weeks as the airlines continues with proactive cancellations.

The company began cancelling flights after hail pummeled parts of Calgary’s north end last Monday, including YYC International Airport, grounding 10 per cent of WestJet’s fleet.

“A comprehensive assessment of the damage determined that sourcing specialized equipment and materials and completing repairs and inspections will take several weeks,” reads a release.

Cancellations have so far topped 600 with the airline indicating they are cancelling around 50 flights per day, and more than 20,000 customers have been affected. The airline says fewer cancellations are expected as the damaged planes return to service in phases.

“Per aircraft, we need 12 of our talented aircraft maintenance engineers working 24/7 to fix these aircraft,” says WestJet’s vice president of technical operations Gandeephan Ganeshalingam. “We’re sourcing specialized equipment and materials before repair work can begin.”

“To accelerate the process, we’ve mobilized our tech ops teams in Calgary and Toronto.”

WestJet says it has been adding additional flights operated by WestJet Encore and Canadian North to help reduce the cancellations.

The airline says it is facing “very high volumes” of calls and emails as it works to help passengers rebook or opt for refunds.

Experts say airfares will likely rise in the short-term due to the diminished flight capacity following the hailstorm. The Calgary airport was forced to close parts of its domestic terminal for repairs in the wake of last Monday’s storm, and four planes at Flair Airlines and Cargojet were damaged.

A video taken by one traveller showed water pouring from the ceiling by a boarding gate, with chunks of what appeared to be tile crashing to the ground.