My complaint:
We have always been loyal customers to Westjet over the years preferring them to other airlines.September 7 we were on a flight 07:30 am from Edmonton to Calgary then connecting directly to Charlottetown with a request for a wheel chair for my husband.We realized the connecting flight was one and one half hours and would be a bit tight but the plane left and arrived a bit early. As usual we were told to wait until the passengers disembarked, then it would be our turn.I expressed concern over our connecting flight and was told they would wait for us.
After 15 minutes I walked uo the ramp and there was a frustrated attendant who said they had been paging 45 minutes for wheelchair pickups. Finally one arrived and when she got to the top, told me to wait for another one to arrive I announced I would push and could she get me the gate number to which she replied she did not know.I went running with my husband as I could hear them paging us and arrived approximately 2 minutes too late. Gate was closed and we missed our flight. West jet got us a connection to Toronto. then booked us with AirCanada to Charlottetown that day. The same occurrence occurred at the Toronto Air port. 6 wheel chairs were left at the top with no one showing to wheel to destinations and no explanation.Finally an excellent security guard paged the manager who delivered us to the terminal.
We had an approximately 4 hour wait before boarding Air Canada and barely had time to grab a bite and board. I am given to understand Westjet has contracted handicap service out and these are my concerns. They were NOT trained, spoke little English for communication, wheelchairs had no foot pedals and it was mass confusion. The length of the whole trip cost my husband’s health dearly. I am not certain what happened to the remaining handicap people waiting there. As well, if people do not show at the gate, can they not check to see if it is a connecting flight and the status? That few minutes cost you as well. I understand you can’t delay flights all the time but some common sense would save a lot of grief.
The return flight had the Westjet workers wheeling the handicap and worked well though I do understand why it was contracted out. I implore you please set a standard and training for that service as as a health care worker I realized this is a difficult job but they deserve the right to fly. A response would be appreciated
Suggested solution:
By replying how they intend to fix this issue
