WestJet changed our flights...short layover YYZ question

[Spotthecat]

Ugh, I received an email the other day that westjet had changed our flight in March from Toronto to Orlando. Slightly earlier departure, and slightly later return (both within 45 minutes of original time). You only had to click the button in the email to approve the change, and it was for ONE NAME ONLY out of the 5 in our family, and that was the 9 year old!!! Spent two hours on the phone making sure that all FIVE family members had been successfully transferred to the new flight time (since we were no 3 different linked reservations - if you pay with WJ miles or vouchers, it's annoying with 3 transactions), and we still had seats together so no, my minor children wouldn't be sitting alone like they tried last time.

My only complaint was why only the one email??? Shouldn't I have received 3 separate emails for the 3 different reservations? I kind of freaked out there...

 

[FigmentSpark]

We had something like that happen on Air Canada a few years ago. Now, when I book our family separately, I phone AC and have the reservations linked. I wonder if WestJet has something similar?

 

[takehertothemoon]

Saw flight deals with WestJet so decided to login to Delta and check our flight codes (code share flights are with WestJet but booked through Delta). They cancelled both of our flights going to Orlando; they put us on an earlier Sunday flight to Toronto, and put our Orlando flight on Monday! I was livid, got through to Delta and they said they're not sure why they did that as it makes no sense. Option was to go through Toronto and have a 1h40 min layover to still arrive on the Sunday. Very nervous with that time so we applied for Nexus and are hoping we get it before we go (doubtful but hopeful)!!!

ETA: Livid because I didn't get an e-mail or any notice of it!!

 

[Starwind]

Saw flight deals with WestJet so decided to login to Delta and check our flight codes (code share flights are with WestJet but booked through Delta). They cancelled both of our flights going to Orlando; they put us on an earlier Sunday flight to Toronto, and put our Orlando flight on Monday! I was livid, got through to Delta and they said they're not sure why they did that as it makes no sense. Option was to go through Toronto and have a 1h40 min layover to still arrive on the Sunday. Very nervous with that time so we applied for Nexus and are hoping we get it before we go (doubtful but hopeful)!!!

ETA: Livid because I didn't get an e-mail or any notice of it!!

Gotta love the airlines and their lack of notifying and strange schedules they rebook us to...

Not sure what your travel date is, but my sister applied (online) for NEXUS June 19, got conditional approval August 1. The challenge is getting an interview date, but that is now scheduled -- if she was able to travel to other locations there would have been more options.

So for at least some people they seem to be processing qquickly. The official website still has processing time of about 60 days.

SW

 

[takehertothemoon]

Gotta love the airlines and their lack of notifying and strange schedules they rebook us to...

Not sure what your travel date is, but my sister applied (online) for NEXUS June 19, got conditional approval August 1. The challenge is getting an interview date, but that is now scheduled -- if she was able to travel to other locations there would have been more options.

So for at least some people they seem to be processing qquickly. The official website still has processing time of about 60 days.

SW

Thanks for the info, fingers crossed we have the same luck! We applied last night, we travel December 3 and we're located in Halifax. I'm not sure how far interviews are booking but if the conditional approval takes a while I hope the interview scheduling isn't outside of our travel date!

 

[Starwind]

Thanks for the info, fingers crossed we have the same luck! We applied last night, we travel December 3 and we're located in Halifax. I'm not sure how far interviews are booking but if the conditional approval takes a while I hope the interview scheduling isn't outside of our travel date!

Here the NEXUS enrolment office loads three months at a time for interview slots. So August 1 they loaded October. It takes a few days to show up in the system. Until then it was showing nothing available. Then all of October showed up

A key is once you can schedule the interview, schedule a date. Then, check the system frequently as people will cancel and you may be able to get an earlier date due to that - but at least you will have a date. Our enrolment centre does not allow walkin interviews, but you can always call yours and ask if they do.

Also, if you can travel to alternate enrolment centers, that will open up more interview slot options.

SW

 

[BLAZEY]

I'm the opposite. I've had nothing but great flights on Air Canada, or Delta, but major issues with WestJet. Won't ever fly WJ again if I can help it. It was direct flights Victoria to Calgary return in 2008. Lost luggage, delays, moved seats away from travelling companions.

 

[CanadianKrista]

I had the same - I had booked Delta from Ottawa to MCO in December, but operated by WestJet on the way down. They cancelled my YOW to YYZ leg, and the next flight got me to YYZ too late to make our connection to Orlando. I spend 1.5 hours on the phone with Expedia (who did contact me) and got a completely new flight now, through Detroit now instead of Toronto, so I'll clear customs in Ottawa. However now our flight leaves Ottawa at 6am, so we'll have to be at the airport in the middle of the night with our two kiddos!

 

[takehertothemoon]

I'm the opposite. I've had nothing but great flights on Air Canada, or Delta, but major issues with WestJet. Won't ever fly WJ again if I can help it. It was direct flights Victoria to Calgary return in 2008. Lost luggage, delays, moved seats away from travelling companions.

I've also had terrible experiences with WestJet, booked with Delta and only one of our flights is Delta operated! Hoping I finally have a trouble free trip with WestJet.

 

[osully]

Really annoyed as well. We had direct flights from Ottawa to Orlando and then Orlando to Ottawa. Our direct flight there was changed to about 1 hour later departure and our flight on the way back is no longer direct.

Maybe give a credit / partial refund if you are changing people's flights several months after they booked!! I paid more to fly direct...

 

[Zakery]

I would check the website and see if there are any other flight options and then call the airline. I had a really good one layover flight which got changed a couple of months after booking. I'll wasn't thrilled with the 6 hour layover on the new one so I called and asked if I could switch to a different flight and I got it. The new flight would have cost me way more to initially book but the airline did not charge me as they had changed my original selection.

I'm now arriving even earlier in the day than I would have originally.

 

[takehertothemoon]

Here the NEXUS enrolment office loads three months at a time for interview slots. So August 1 they loaded October. It takes a few days to show up in the system. Until then it was showing nothing available. Then all of October showed up

A key is once you can schedule the interview, schedule a date. Then, check the system frequently as people will cancel and you may be able to get an earlier date due to that - but at least you will have a date. Our enrolment centre does not allow walkin interviews, but you can always call yours and ask if they do.

Also, if you can travel to alternate enrolment centers, that will open up more interview slot options.

SW

Nexus is all processed! Took two weeks for conditional acceptance. Found an early interview time for my husband, nothing for me for months but they took me as a walk-in during his appointment. We must have picked a good time to apply!

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I did a YYZ connection from YHZ going to Miami one April. Had a connection time of 1hr 30 min. mid-morning. We got through with no issues, still time to mill about the terminal. I guess it would depend on the time of your flights, time of year, etc

 

[hockeygirl14]

YYZ is my home airport - 1hr45 should be fine...everything is pretty automated in customs now so things tend to move quicker. It's quite busy early in the morning and then again around 4-6pm. I have found WestJet pretty good about getting people with tight connections off the plane first.

 

[takehertothemoon]

I did a YYZ connection from YHZ going to Miami one April. Had a connection time of 1hr 30 min. mid-morning. We got through with no issues, still time to mill about the terminal. I guess it would depend on the time of your flights, time of year, etc

YYZ is my home airport - 1hr45 should be fine...everything is pretty automated in customs now so things tend to move quicker. It's quite busy early in the morning and then again around 4-6pm. I have found WestJet pretty good about getting people with tight connections off the plane first.

Thanks for this info, makes me feel much better about our connection! Had a terrible experience connecting through Montreal with Air Canada - I remember asking the flight attendants if they could do anything since we were delayed and they said no, then we asked customs if we could jump ahead and they said no. We ran and just made the flight, those behind us didn't make it. Trying to avoid that ever happening again!