WestJet delayed me 12 hours, made me miss my train, then denied every expense claim
A couple months ago I purchased a ticket from Vancouver to Madrid via Halifax. I noticed the short connection time in Halifax (45min) for such a long journey, but I thought, hey, its the same airline and the same ticket, and Halifax is a small airport. Probably they are used to this and there will be no problem. First mistake.
For some unknown reasons, we departed 30 min late from Vancouver. 20 minutes in the air, I received a mail: we had a delay, so you are going to miss your connection in Halifax. Here is a new ticket: you will travel to PARIS, then you'll wait here 7h and then you will take your flight to Madrid.
Fast forward, I arrive to Halifax and run towards the departure gate for Madrid. People were still boarding, but I was informed that we were removed from the flight, and that they would not let us inside the plane, as we were removed from the system. So Paris then.
After 13h of travel, I arrive to Paris ready to suffer a 7h layover I didn't asked for. Eventually I got into the plane to Madrid, and surprise, my luggage was lost. It took one full hour for the people in the airport to realize the two suitcases were send to a different terminal, for some reason. So I walked there and got my luggage. Finally I left the Madrid airport around 22:30 pm (12h later than planned).
As my original flight was going to arrive to Madrid at 9:30 am, I booked beforehand a train to my hometown, in the north part of Spain. That train left at noon, so of course I missed it. I had to book again another train for the next day, get into a taxi and spend the night at a Hotel near the airport.
A few days later, I filled the claim in WestJet webpage:
- A first claim for the delay itself. I never asked to turn a 12h trip into a ~30h nightmare.
- A expense claim for the hotel, the taxi and the missed train ticket.
Their response to the first claim: it was for safety/operational, no compensation here.
Their response to the second claim: expenses were after arrival, not our problem.
I would like to hear your thoughts. Here are the copy/pasted responses from this "company".
Hello ********,
Reservation: ********
City Pairs: Vancouver, BC - Madrid, Spain
Thank you for submitting a claim under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR).
A review of your claim for compensation pursuant to the APPR has been completed taking the flight itinerary into consideration, which includes the original departure city to the final destination.
Upon review of your reservation, we are unable to approve the claim for compensation as the most significant reason for the flight interruption was due to unplanned aircraft maintenance and was required for safety purposes.
Situations surrounding flight disruptions can be complex and have multiple causes. This reason may change as the situation evolves, new issues arise, or new information is received.
Additional information regarding the APPR can be found using the following links:
WestJet | Flight interruptions and passenger rights
Canadian Transportation Agency | Air Passenger Protection Regulations
Terms and Conditions of Carriage, and full Tariff.
We appreciate your understanding and the opportunity to review your claim.
Hello *******,
Reservation: *******
City Pairs: Vancouver, BC - Madrid, Spain
Thank you for contacting WestJet regarding your out-of-pocket expenses.
We regret the disruption to WS0792 with service from Vancouver to Halifax on 12JUN26 and apologize for the interruption to your travel plans. A review of your claim for reimbursement has been completed, taking the flight itinerary and your receipt submission into consideration.
The following receipts are not eligible for reimbursement. As such, your request for reimbursement has been denied.
Ineligible Expenses:
13-Jun-2026 B&B Hotel Madrid Airport (MAD) 121.6 EUR | Expense incurred post-travel
14-Jun-2026 UBER (MAD) 19.97 EUR | Expense incurred post-travel
TRAIN TICKET (MAD) 31.1 EUR | Expense incurred post-travel
For any personal out‑of‑pocket expenses not reimbursed by the carrier, these may be eligible through your Travel Insurance Provider or your Credit Card Provider. The carrier is able to provide, upon request, a letter addressed to your Travel Insurance Provider or your Credit Card Provider. This letter may be requested using the following links:
Travel Insurance WestJet Flights | WestJet official site
Travel Insurance WestJet Vacations | WestJet official site
We appreciate your understanding and the opportunity to review your claim.