Air Travel

The Kelowna International Airport experienced many delays and cancellations over the holidays because of weather conditions. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

The lost luggage saga: Kelowna visitor’s bag still missing 16 days later

WestJet hasn’t been able to give a straightforward answer on where the bag is

  • Jan 13, 2023
The Kelowna International Airport experienced many delays and cancellations over the holidays because of weather conditions. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)
Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. From long hours waiting on hold to sleepless nights on airport floors and desperate scrambles to rebook flights and find missing bags, it was a holiday travel season that no one had on their wish list — but that thousands of people got. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

‘Not hiding’: Transport minister says Ottawa will be accountable on travel mess

MPs are probing what went wrong in the days before and after Christmas

Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. From long hours waiting on hold to sleepless nights on airport floors and desperate scrambles to rebook flights and find missing bags, it was a holiday travel season that no one had on their wish list — but that thousands of people got. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. From long hours waiting on hold to sleepless nights on airport floors and desperate scrambles to rebook flights and find missing bags, it was a holiday travel season that no one had on their wish list — but that thousands of people got. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Airlines, airports, transport minister to testify on holiday travel mess at committee

Leaders from country’s major airports and airlines are also among witnesses set to appear

Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. From long hours waiting on hold to sleepless nights on airport floors and desperate scrambles to rebook flights and find missing bags, it was a holiday travel season that no one had on their wish list — but that thousands of people got. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
People travel to the United States of America at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. Air Canada warned travellers to check their flights before heading to the airport as troubles caused by a key computer outage at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration caused delays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

U.S. travel problems affecting transborder flights: Air Canada, WestJet

Canadian travellers headed to or from the U.S. urged to check their flights

People travel to the United States of America at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. Air Canada warned travellers to check their flights before heading to the airport as troubles caused by a key computer outage at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration caused delays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
FILE - A Southwest Airlines passenger jet approaches Kansas City International Airport to land as geese fly overhead, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. A computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration brought flights to a standstill across the U.S. on Wednesday, with hundreds of delays quickly cascading through the system at airports nationwide. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Flight disruptions cascade across US after computer outage

Grounding order has been lifted but nearly 5,000 flights delayed and almost 900 cancelled

FILE - A Southwest Airlines passenger jet approaches Kansas City International Airport to land as geese fly overhead, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. A computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration brought flights to a standstill across the U.S. on Wednesday, with hundreds of delays quickly cascading through the system at airports nationwide. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Force airlines to automatically compensate travellers, passengers’ advocate says

MPs to begin an emergency study of the chaos across Canada’s airports over the holidays

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A passenger waits in an empty terminal at the airport while flights are suspended due to drug cartel-related violence in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico on January 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Martin Urista

Some Canadians set to return from Mexico’s Mazatlan area as airports reopen

Canadian government issued a shelter-in-place advisory on Jan. 5

A passenger waits in an empty terminal at the airport while flights are suspended due to drug cartel-related violence in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico on January 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Martin Urista
From left to right, Justin Bogdanovic, Shannon Dryer, Victor Dryer, Gabriel Dryer, Nikolas Bogdanovic and Kayden Dryer, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Victor Dryer

Travellers crave getaways but now weigh risks of lost baggage, poor weather, illness

One B.C. woman says she’s unlikely to ever take a travel holiday over Christmas again

From left to right, Justin Bogdanovic, Shannon Dryer, Victor Dryer, Gabriel Dryer, Nikolas Bogdanovic and Kayden Dryer, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Victor Dryer
A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to have a recent negative COVID-19 test result. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Rule requiring negative COVID test before Chinese flights takes effect

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized Canada’s change in requirements this week

A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to have a recent negative COVID-19 test result. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Peter Schiefke rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 4, 2018. Schiefke, chair of the House of Commons transport committee, is calling on Sunwing Airlines and Via Rail to publicly explain what caused the travel nightmare that plagued thousands of Canadians over the holidays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

‘Unacceptable’: Committee chair says Sunwing, Via Rail must answer for holiday mess

House of Commons call for representatives from both companies to appear as witnesses

Peter Schiefke rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 4, 2018. Schiefke, chair of the House of Commons transport committee, is calling on Sunwing Airlines and Via Rail to publicly explain what caused the travel nightmare that plagued thousands of Canadians over the holidays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Travellers wearing face masks with their luggage walk through the international flight departure terminal entrance gate at the capital airport in Beijing on Dec. 29, 2022. The Chinese government argues that moves by countries like Canada to require air passengers from China to get COVID-19 tests is unscientific, but business groups say the policy won’t impact trade. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Andy Wong

Business groups optimistic despite China’s pushback on air-travel test requirements

Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China to have a recent negative test

Travellers wearing face masks with their luggage walk through the international flight departure terminal entrance gate at the capital airport in Beijing on Dec. 29, 2022. The Chinese government argues that moves by countries like Canada to require air passengers from China to get COVID-19 tests is unscientific, but business groups say the policy won’t impact trade. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Andy Wong
A woman searches for her luggage at Vancouver International Airport after a snowstorm crippled operations leading to cancellations and major delays on Dec. 20, 2022. Two weeks later, the airport says it’s still working to reunite hundreds of pieces of luggage with travellers. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

About 1,500 bags still stranded at YVR following B.C. storm

Airport says it’s working with airlines to return people’s leftover luggage

A woman searches for her luggage at Vancouver International Airport after a snowstorm crippled operations leading to cancellations and major delays on Dec. 20, 2022. Two weeks later, the airport says it’s still working to reunite hundreds of pieces of luggage with travellers. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to takeoff at Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Friday, March 20, 2020. Some Sunwing travellers from Saskatchewan say the airline is leaving them at airports in other provinces, while another says her flight from Mexico that made it to Regina had dozens of empty seats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Some Saskatchewan Sunwing passengers make it home, others make their own way back

‘We expect Sunwing to appropriately compensate everyone’: Saskatchewan premier

A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to takeoff at Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Friday, March 20, 2020. Some Sunwing travellers from Saskatchewan say the airline is leaving them at airports in other provinces, while another says her flight from Mexico that made it to Regina had dozens of empty seats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Holiday passengers arriving without bags as Toronto Pearson airport luggage piles up

Passengers unsure how to reclaim bags as hundreds of pieces of luggage show up late to YYZ

Luggage bags are amassed in the bag claim area at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Baggage waits to be claimed after canceled flights at the Southwest Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

Southwest Airlines cancels more flights, draws federal investigation

Government says it’ll investigate why Southwest fell so far behind other carriers

Baggage waits to be claimed after canceled flights at the Southwest Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
Travelers sleep as fellow travelers queue up to pass through the south security checkpoint in Denver International Airport after a winter storm swept over the country packing snow combined with Arctic cold, which created chaos for people trying to reach their destinations before the Christmas holiday, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Denver. Forecasters predict that warmer weather will be on tap for the week ahead. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Flight cancelled? Experts share some advice about what to do

Holiday snow storm resulted in thousands of cancelled flights throughout Canada and U.S.

Travelers sleep as fellow travelers queue up to pass through the south security checkpoint in Denver International Airport after a winter storm swept over the country packing snow combined with Arctic cold, which created chaos for people trying to reach their destinations before the Christmas holiday, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Denver. Forecasters predict that warmer weather will be on tap for the week ahead. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A Sunwing aircraft is parked at Montreal Trudeau airport in Montreal on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. As hundreds of Canadians scramble to get home after Sunwing flights from Mexico were cancelled last week, a passengers’ rights advocate says stranded travellers should consider legal action if they aren’t compensated. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Passenger advocate urges stranded Sunwing passengers in Mexico to take legal action

Air Passenger Rights president says people should keep track of receipts, expenses

A Sunwing aircraft is parked at Montreal Trudeau airport in Montreal on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. As hundreds of Canadians scramble to get home after Sunwing flights from Mexico were cancelled last week, a passengers’ rights advocate says stranded travellers should consider legal action if they aren’t compensated. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Heidi-Louise Chadwick and her two-year-old son waited in the Calgary airport for hours before their flight was cancelled, prompting her husband to drive 14 hours to save them. (Courtesy of Heidi-Louise Chadwick)

‘Scary’: B.C. mom left ‘abandoned’ in airport with toddler and no luggage

Heidi-Louise Chadwick and her two-year-old son are still trying to get home after 3 days of travelling

Heidi-Louise Chadwick and her two-year-old son waited in the Calgary airport for hours before their flight was cancelled, prompting her husband to drive 14 hours to save them. (Courtesy of Heidi-Louise Chadwick)
Westjet and Air India aircraft sit idle at Vancouver International Airport after a snowstorm crippled operations leading to cancellations and major delays, in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. The holiday plans of thousands of people have been disrupted as bad weather forces the cancellation of large swathes of flights across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Weather ruin your holiday plans? Here’s what to do if your flight was cancelled

Some advice if your holidays are being hurt by travel havoc

Westjet and Air India aircraft sit idle at Vancouver International Airport after a snowstorm crippled operations leading to cancellations and major delays, in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. The holiday plans of thousands of people have been disrupted as bad weather forces the cancellation of large swathes of flights across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
An Air Canada aircraft is de-iced at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. A major winter storm bearing down on Toronto is adding to the calamity in Canadian airports already plagued by flight cancellations and delays set off early this week by heavy snow in Vancouver.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Messy Christmas for travellers as more storms bear down on Ontario, B.C.

Threat of another round of weather chaos hangs over travellers struggling to return to loved ones

An Air Canada aircraft is de-iced at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. A major winter storm bearing down on Toronto is adding to the calamity in Canadian airports already plagued by flight cancellations and delays set off early this week by heavy snow in Vancouver.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck