WestJet, the second largest airline in Canada, has been forced to ground 10% of its fleet after a hailstorm hit the carrier’s Calgary hub. On Monday evening, severe weather moved through the area which brought heavy rain and large hail that impacted Calgary International Airport (YYC).
WestJet, which is headquartered in Calgary and operates its largest hub at the airport, had 22 aircraft parked on the ground as the severe weather approached. According to the airline, it had the chance to get four of the 22 planes safely inside of hangars before the storm hit with 18 left sitting exposed to the elements.
After extensive safety checks, the airline determined that two of the 18 planes could be returned to service while the remaining 16 aircraft require substantial repairs and inspections before returning to service.
In addition to the aircraft on the ground at the time of the storm, nine additional aircraft that were en route to Calgary were forced to divert. This caused significant disruption for travellers on Tuesday with WestJet cancelling 106 flights.
While two of the 18 planes have been cleared to return to scheduled service, the remaining 16 will impact the airline’s operation for quite some time. In a statement, WestJet said,”As a result of the significant impact to WestJet’s fleet, cancellations will be implemented across the airline’s network to account for decreased capacity for the foreseeable future.”
Diederik Pen, the President of WestJet and WestJet Group Chief Operating Officer, had this to say regarding the severe weather:
“The severity and direction of the actual thunderstorm and hail became clear less than 30 minutes before impact, and we are extremely appreciative of our people who took quick action, prioritizing safety above all while limiting damage to our fleet and operation, wherever possible.”
Diederik Pen, President of WestJet and WestJet Group COO
It’s been a tough couple of months for WestJet and its fleet during the busy summer travel season. The carrier was forced to ground flights and park planes back in june in preparation for a strike and then, ten days later, cancelled more than 150 flights due to a strike after negotiations broke down between the airline and its mechanics.
Unlike the first two service disruptions, this one will take much longer to resolve as the damage sounds fairly significant. Hopefully the Canadian carrier can have the planes repaired and back in the air soon.
Summary
WestJet has been forced to ground 10% of its fleet after a massive hailstorm hit the carriers Calgary hub. 16 aircraft sustained significant damage and will be grounded for the foreseeable future. Cancellations will also occur throughout the network as the airline adjusts for the recent capacity loss. It’s been a rough couple of months for Canada’s second largest carrier and I hope that they are back to 100% soon.
(Top image courtesy Brett Spangler, you can find more of his work on Instagram at @atx.spotter)
