Canadian tour operators cancel Mexico flights

[Rubberbiscuit]

Guess it was bound to happen. WJ & AC intend to keep flying for now by the looks of things.

Thousands of Canadians have had their vacation plans to Mexico abruptly cancelled Tuesday after members of the Canadian Association of Tour Operators decided to postpone their flights to Mexico effective immediately due to an outbreak of swine flu in the country.

The decision was made following a travel advisory being issued from Ottawa against all non-essential travel to the country.

Transat A.T., Sunwing Vacations, and Sunquest Vacations are all offering their customers to either postpone their trips until the beginning of June, or to rebook them on flights to other destinations. But Canadian passengers will be on the hook for any differences in the price of those trips, and no refunds will be granted if their new vacations are less expensive than the ones to Mexico.

"The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Public Health Agency of Canada, have now issued a travel warning against all non-essential travel to Mexico," Sunquest Vacations said in a statement on their Web site. "Therefore, Sunquest has taken the decision to not operate our programs to Mexico, effective immediately."

Sunquest will cancel its trips to Mexico until June 4, while Sunwing will cancel trips until May 29. Transat said it would cancel its flights to the country until June 1.

Most of the tour operators are in the process of transitioning to their summer schedules and are in the midst of pulling much of their capacity out of southern locales, like Mexico. Sunwing, which typically has 22 flights a week in the winter months to Mexico, planned to scale back its flights there to 12 a week starting Thursday.

Likewise, Transat, which flew 30 flights this week, would have scaled back its capacity to 18 when its winter schedule ended this week, before its decision Tuesday.

"Transat is maintaining its return flights as planned until May 3, and will be adding other flights according to an as-yet-unspecified schedule in order to bring home its customers, passengers and employees now in Mexico," the company said in a statement.

Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. said they have no plans to follow suit at this point.

If you have been affected by these events please e-mail scdeveau@nationalpost.com

[Inverted2]

Probably flying down long enough to get the vacationers that are already there home and then stopping.

[Azure]

WestJet updates advisory for guests travelling to and from Mexico

19:37 EDT Tuesday, April 28, 2009

CALGARY, April 28 /CNW/ - In light of increased concern regarding the spread of the human swine influenza virus in Mexico, WestJet and WestJet Vacations will cease service to Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, effective Monday, May 4, 2009. Service will resume to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta on June 20, 2009. Service to Cancun, a seasonal destination for WestJet, will return in the fall schedule.

All guests who were scheduled to fly to Mexico between now and June 20, 2009, can make the following changes to their travel plans with no change or cancel fees:

<<
1. Travel to the same destination at a later date once service has
resumed;
2. Select another WestJet destination up to the same value of the
currently booked travel;
3. Request a Future Travel Credit (FTC). This FTC can be used for any
WestJet destination, is fully transferable and is valid for one year
from date of issue;
4. Request a full refund to original form of payment.

The following toll-free numbers are available for guests looking to change
their travel plans.

- From Canada and the United States: 877-953-9234
- From Mexico: 001 800 514 7288
- Those guests having difficulty contacting WestJet using toll-free
numbers may call collect 403-539-7800.
>>

"We certainly understand and empathize with the upheaval this represents for our guests," said Sean Durfy, WestJet President and Chief Executive Officer. "Ultimately, we have made this decision for the safety and well-being of our guests and our WestJetters."

WestJet will be contacting all guests currently in Mexico to inform them that additional flights are being made available to expedite their early departure.

"As part of our seasonal capacity deployment strategy, we are in the process of transitioning our fleet from Mexico to domestic flying over the next few days," continued Sean Durfy. "This minimizes the impact to our operation and provides us with the flexibility of having additional aircraft available to bring our guests home."

For more information on human swine influenza, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca.

This press release contains forward looking statements relating to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Specifically, this release contains forward-looking information regarding WestJet's planned resumption of flights to specified destinations inMexico . This statement is based on the WestJet's current beliefs and operational plans. These statements are only predictions and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements based upon a number of factors including the prolonged or increased spread of the human swine influenza virus and other applicable factors identified in WestJet's filings with the Canadian Security Regulators which are available under the company's profile atwww.sedar.com. WestJet does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About WestJet

WestJet is Canada's leading high-value low-cost airline offering scheduled service throughout its 55-city North American and Caribbean network. Named one of Canada's most admired corporate cultures in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, WestJet pioneered low-cost flying in Canada. WestJet offers increased legroom, leather seats and live seatback television provided by Bell TV on its modern fleet of 79 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. With future confirmed deliveries for an additional 42 aircraft, bringing its fleet to 121 by 2013, WestJet strives to be the number one choice for travellers.

For further information: Media Contacts: Robert Palmer, Media Relations, telephone: 1-888-WJ 4 NEWS (1-888-954-6397), e-mail: ropalmer@westjet.com

© CNW Group