> With WestJet’s new rule, most of its flights do not accept wheelchairs over 300 pounds
How is this kind of discrimination allowed?
PrestondeTipp on
All policies are invented
No-Heart-3839 on
Once upon a time they were a good airline. Not anymore. And it’s not the Onyx takeover, they started going downhill before then…
Bogiereviews on
So..in short.. WestJet introduced a rule that effectively bans many power wheelchairs over 300 lbs, which means some disabled passengers are now being denied flights even before they were just fine before the rule changes… WestJet claims it’s about “safety”, but other airlines don’t have the same restriction.
Confident-Task7958 on
A simple phone call from the Minister of Transport would fix this in an instant – Westjet simply needs to be told that if they do not reverse the policy voluntarily the government will mandate strict accessibility requirements.
GKM72 on
And what happens if you booked a flight with that larger weight allowance plane and they change the equipment after the ticket has been booked?
This also assumes that when you’re making your booking, you know exactly what equipment is going to be used on that route. As there are two 787 Dreamliner models, one with the higher weight allowance, does their website distinguish between the two?
Mean-Tomatillo5185 on
For those who know, is it normal for wheelchairs to weigh over 300 lbs? I really dont know much about wheelchairs, but 300 pounds sounds generous? Or is it reasonable to ask ppl own “light weight wheelchairs ” for travel, if that is even a thing.
yukonnut on
Sounds like Westjet has decided to implement a policy that AC gave up on.
We are not happy until you are unhappy. And we will keep at it until successful.
Have not flown with Westjet in 6 years and never consider them as an option.
Pitzy0 on
This is a symptom of enshitification. Why?
Ideally, aircraft would be built and people would be serviced with everyone in mind. Instead we have smaller planes, smaller seating and services cut to the bone.
Somehow everything has become too expensive to do the right things. Where is all the money going?
EDIT: Capitalists definitely in the comments. Don’t worry, it’s coming for you too.
Wooden_Customer_8610 on
The amount they will lose in revenue will never justify this outcome. These idiots making these rules need some more education.
KGandtheVividGirls on
I left this in another sub and it was removed. Btw we are far better off with two thriving national airlines:
This is an airline in trouble. Flew YEG – YYJ on the 23rd and it took near 12 hours due to delay and rebooking the second leg, which was also delayed. When the announcement of rebooking was made I was enjoying the amenities of YEG and upon approaching the desk I got nothing but attitude “an announcement has been made” repeated several times. I had to hector the agent to reveal the content of said announcement. When checking through the gate this same agent held me aside to insure I was indeed the “right” seat. Apparently 4D is so posh trash like me shouldn’t be there. Even asked a colleague if “anything weird” had been happening; right in front of me. I recognized that person was having a bad day. Then I started looking into the staffs eyes…. and I saw trauma.
senecant on
I wasn’t aware that they had announced non-reclining seats, but I’m in favour. I’ve said for years that the sardine-can configuration of modern airplanes no longer allows reclining without significant impact to the comfort of the person behind you. Full steam ahead on that, I say.
ProofByVerbosity on
Worst airline in the country. Id rather roll the dice with flair and save money.
ketamarine on
Whoever authored this policy needs to take a long hard look in the mirror.
Denying disabled children a trip to a sunshine destination is the least Canadian thing I have ever heard.
Pound sand, eh.
NefCanuck on
Ableism by capitalism
Day ending in “Y”
Being disabled comes with a “disability tax” with “costs” like this because it’s able bodied people in power making these stupid decisions
robstoon on
People crying discrimination in here need to give their head a shake. Physical reality is not discrimination. They are imposing weight and size restrictions based on the type of aircraft they are being loaded on to. On some aircraft like the 787s or Air Canada’s A320s, cargo gets loaded in containers which are then loaded into the aircraft by machinery (and in WestJet’s case these aircraft have higher weight limits). However, on aircraft like the 737, cargo has to be manually pulled off a belt and put into position by people inside the cargo hold. Are you seriously expecting these people to lug power wheelchairs that weigh over 300 lb? Or somehow load something that doesn’t fit through the cargo door? This is where the safety issues come in. Not to mention other problems like ensuring these giant wheelchairs don’t become a projectile in a crash.
There’s some cases where certain types of equipment simply cannot be safely loaded onto an aircraft. Crying about discrimination will not change that fact.
j_roe on
This year we traveled to Chile for the holidays to visit my wife’s family. The first leg leaving Calgary was supposed to be one Westjet to Mexico City on a Thursday. For whatever reason they cancelled the Tuesday flight and moved us to Friday without notifying us or changing our connecting flight. I only happened to catch it because when we booked the second leg was pending confirmation or something.
The time prior we used Westjet as well and also had problems. Westjet is by far the most incompetent airline operating in Canada.
17 Comments
> With WestJet’s new rule, most of its flights do not accept wheelchairs over 300 pounds
How is this kind of discrimination allowed?
All policies are invented
Once upon a time they were a good airline. Not anymore. And it’s not the Onyx takeover, they started going downhill before then…
So..in short.. WestJet introduced a rule that effectively bans many power wheelchairs over 300 lbs, which means some disabled passengers are now being denied flights even before they were just fine before the rule changes… WestJet claims it’s about “safety”, but other airlines don’t have the same restriction.
A simple phone call from the Minister of Transport would fix this in an instant – Westjet simply needs to be told that if they do not reverse the policy voluntarily the government will mandate strict accessibility requirements.
And what happens if you booked a flight with that larger weight allowance plane and they change the equipment after the ticket has been booked?
This also assumes that when you’re making your booking, you know exactly what equipment is going to be used on that route. As there are two 787 Dreamliner models, one with the higher weight allowance, does their website distinguish between the two?
For those who know, is it normal for wheelchairs to weigh over 300 lbs? I really dont know much about wheelchairs, but 300 pounds sounds generous? Or is it reasonable to ask ppl own “light weight wheelchairs ” for travel, if that is even a thing.
Sounds like Westjet has decided to implement a policy that AC gave up on.
We are not happy until you are unhappy. And we will keep at it until successful.
Have not flown with Westjet in 6 years and never consider them as an option.
This is a symptom of enshitification. Why?
Ideally, aircraft would be built and people would be serviced with everyone in mind. Instead we have smaller planes, smaller seating and services cut to the bone.
Somehow everything has become too expensive to do the right things. Where is all the money going?
EDIT: Capitalists definitely in the comments. Don’t worry, it’s coming for you too.
The amount they will lose in revenue will never justify this outcome. These idiots making these rules need some more education.
I left this in another sub and it was removed. Btw we are far better off with two thriving national airlines:
This is an airline in trouble. Flew YEG – YYJ on the 23rd and it took near 12 hours due to delay and rebooking the second leg, which was also delayed. When the announcement of rebooking was made I was enjoying the amenities of YEG and upon approaching the desk I got nothing but attitude “an announcement has been made” repeated several times. I had to hector the agent to reveal the content of said announcement. When checking through the gate this same agent held me aside to insure I was indeed the “right” seat. Apparently 4D is so posh trash like me shouldn’t be there. Even asked a colleague if “anything weird” had been happening; right in front of me. I recognized that person was having a bad day. Then I started looking into the staffs eyes…. and I saw trauma.
I wasn’t aware that they had announced non-reclining seats, but I’m in favour. I’ve said for years that the sardine-can configuration of modern airplanes no longer allows reclining without significant impact to the comfort of the person behind you. Full steam ahead on that, I say.
Worst airline in the country. Id rather roll the dice with flair and save money.
Whoever authored this policy needs to take a long hard look in the mirror.
Denying disabled children a trip to a sunshine destination is the least Canadian thing I have ever heard.
Pound sand, eh.
Ableism by capitalism
Day ending in “Y”
Being disabled comes with a “disability tax” with “costs” like this because it’s able bodied people in power making these stupid decisions
People crying discrimination in here need to give their head a shake. Physical reality is not discrimination. They are imposing weight and size restrictions based on the type of aircraft they are being loaded on to. On some aircraft like the 787s or Air Canada’s A320s, cargo gets loaded in containers which are then loaded into the aircraft by machinery (and in WestJet’s case these aircraft have higher weight limits). However, on aircraft like the 737, cargo has to be manually pulled off a belt and put into position by people inside the cargo hold. Are you seriously expecting these people to lug power wheelchairs that weigh over 300 lb? Or somehow load something that doesn’t fit through the cargo door? This is where the safety issues come in. Not to mention other problems like ensuring these giant wheelchairs don’t become a projectile in a crash.
There’s some cases where certain types of equipment simply cannot be safely loaded onto an aircraft. Crying about discrimination will not change that fact.
This year we traveled to Chile for the holidays to visit my wife’s family. The first leg leaving Calgary was supposed to be one Westjet to Mexico City on a Thursday. For whatever reason they cancelled the Tuesday flight and moved us to Friday without notifying us or changing our connecting flight. I only happened to catch it because when we booked the second leg was pending confirmation or something.
The time prior we used Westjet as well and also had problems. Westjet is by far the most incompetent airline operating in Canada.