March 2, 2026 Team Contibutor
The tropical air of Puerto Vallarta turned cold on February 22 when cartel violence erupted following a military raid on drug lord “El Mencho”. The situation quickly escalated. For thousands of Canadians, it was the beginning of a week-long nightmare characterised not just by regional unrest, but by what many describe as a total abandonment by Calgary-based WestJet. The cracks in Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) are bare and visible.
The writing on the wall
Take the case of Elias Thorne, a father from Brandon, Manitoba. While gunfire echoed through the airport terminal, he huddled in a concrete hallway with his two toddlers. When the smoke cleared, the “radio silence” from his airline began. “They told us to fend for ourselves because we booked via a third-party site.”
Similarly, Sarah-Jane Desjardins of Gatineau watched her life-critical heart medication dwindle to a single pill while waiting for a rebooking email that never arrived.
This faisco was a first for many. It highlights a glaring gap between airline policy and passenger reality. While WestJet spokesperson Julia Kaiser maintains the airline added 12 recovery flights, passengers like Jonathan MacIntyre of Kamloops found the “Manage Trips” tool broken and call centres unreachable.
MacIntyre eventually paid $2,200 out of pocket to get himself and his partner home. “We’ve been ghosted,” says Lillian Alexus of Qualicum Beach, a long-time WestJet loyalist who felt the airline washed its hands of her safety.
Taking the legal route
Gábor Lukács, the founder of Air Passenger Rights, is not pulling punches. “WestJet is flouting the law,” Lukács states, arguing the airline treats regulations as “friendly recommendations”. Under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), if an airline cannot rebook a passenger on its own aircraft within 48 hours of the original departure, even for situations outside its control, it must book them on any competitor’s next available flight.
“The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is failing its mandate by not holding them accountable,” Lukács argues, suggesting this situation could lead to a class-action lawsuit. Jadrino Huot of the CTA confirmed the agency is currently investigating the disruptions.
If you’re one of them
If you were caught in the Puerto Vallarta incident, experts suggest this targeted approach for recovery:
- Document Everything: Keep receipts for “reasonable” accommodation, meals, and essential medications. WestJet has explicitly stated they will reimburse reasonable accommodation expenses.
- The 48-Hour Breach: If a competitor’s flight wasn’t offered after 48 hours, and you purchased your own ticket, you may be eligible to claim that cost back from WestJet.
- Escalation: If your claim is not accepted by WestJet, legal experts suggest considering your provincial Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) or Small Claims Court, as these options often offer faster results than the CTA backlog.
Lessons ahead
Incidents like the Jalisco violence are not in anyone’s control. What’s hurting is the marked communication blackout when people need it most. The message from stranded Canadians is clear. Loyalty is a two-way street, and right now, the road home feels incredibly lonely. The CTA probe may force change, but for now, these stories scream: passengers first.
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