Vancouver resident Joanna Chiu said she was kicked off a WestJet flight from Mexico because she had an upset stomach and was going to the washroom too much before takeoff. “No promise of a hotel or rebooked flight,” tweeted Chiu. “I had meds and was on the mend.”.Since Chiu was removed from the flight, she said WestJet has lousy customer service. If people are sick before a flight, she asked them to hold it in. She got off the plane in a rush, leaving her money with travel companions. A WestJet supervisor refuse to pay for her taxi to a hotel 20 minutes away. The WestJet supervisor called a security guard over to intimidate her, but he realized he was being a jerk when she burst into tears. .With this interaction, she said it was in the baggage area and had filmed the exchange. Unless she deleted the video, the supervisor said she would be prohibited from getting on another flight. She requested another employee help her. While this employee was nicer, she refused to give her a booking reference for her rebooked flight. The employee told her to come back to the airport the next day and ask at the counter. Chiu concluded by saying it “is sad that I wasn’t able to get any help unless I publicly aired my experience.” WestJet sent her a booking reference number after she asked for it at the airport multiple times. “I ended up getting in the taxi because I was legitimately worried about getting arrested,” she said. Chiu followed up by saying she made it home safe and sound. “There continued to be an unfortunate series of events involving urgent care treatment, but I’m OK now!” she said. “Really was my fault not realizing I had to be extra careful this year as a dragon.”.To prevent future illnesses, she joked about buying a bubble suit. WestJet media relations strategist Madison Kruger apologized to Chiu for the inconvenience and discomfort she experienced, including the communications delay that occurred as she waited for an appropriate reaccommodation option. "Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority and therefore, we take any health-related concerns very seriously," said Kruger. "While unexpected illness can occur while travelling, maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all guests and crew members is paramount."In circumstances where a person is deemed unfit to travel due to illness, Kruger said its crew "are trained to make difficult, but required decisions in the name of safety." Upon learning about Chiu's experience last week, she said its Social Care team reached out to her to ensure she was provided with a reaccomodation option and to receive feedback.
