WestJet changed our flights...short layover YYZ question

Applemomma

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Just got notice that WestJet changed our flights from Halifax via Toronto from a comfortable 3 hour layover to only 1 hr 45 min. Is that going to be enough time, especially given the increased security measures they want everyone to give extra time for? The benefit is that it gets us into MCO an hour earlier but short layovers stress me out and there's really no other convenient flight to switch to!
 
I've got about the same layover in Toronto from Calgary and am super nervous. I'm hoping we can pull it off
 
It's always the possibility of the first flight being late leaving that worries me. My stomach is already in knots about it but I'll just arm myself with what to do in case thing go south. Ugh
 
When are you leaving? All of the airlines tend to move their flights around a LOT before the actual day so there is a chance it might alter again (consider yourself *lucky* though, in January several of us had flights moved by DAYS, or in my case, cancelled completely!)

There hasn't been enough time with the new increased security measures for anyone to report back as to how this is affecting travelers AND there seems to be conflicting reports regarding the procedures for connecting flights. Best piece of advice i can give is to make sure you are sitting as close as possible to the front of the plane, have your stuff gathered and ready to go when you land in Toronto. You could also let the flight crew know you have a connecting flight to make. Fingers crossed it works smoothly for you!
 


When are you leaving? All of the airlines tend to move their flights around a LOT before the actual day so there is a chance it might alter again (consider yourself *lucky* though, in January several of us had flights moved by DAYS, or in my case, cancelled completely!)

Not leaving until Nov 10th so yes, there's every possibility that they will change it again. Originally there were two early morning flights (we picked the earliest), and two landing early afternoon (we picked the later to give a three hour lay over), with other flights landing supper hour or later into the evening. It looks like they have cancelled the two flights I booked, or they oversold them bumping some of us to the other flights, and both the original flights and the one I'm now on have disappeared from the WestJet website. The only options now are late at night for arrival or into the next day! So with no better options I'll take the change and hope for the best.

This is also one reason why I never plan on adrs or fastpasses the day of arrival because you just never know what will happen with your flights!
 
I'm headed sept 4, so I'll be able to let you know how it goes! As it sits now I've got 1h42m between flight.
 
Just got notice that WestJet changed our flights from Halifax via Toronto from a comfortable 3 hour layover to only 1 hr 45 min. Is that going to be enough time, especially given the increased security measures they want everyone to give extra time for? The benefit is that it gets us into MCO an hour earlier but short layovers stress me out and there's really no other convenient flight to switch to!
Thanks for sharing! I read this and then checked our WestJet flights for November and one of our flights were cancelled, we were rescheduled for a different one. The problem was, there wasn't enough time between landing and the connecting flight. (There is a certain amount of time between connecting flights that is required) It took me over a hour on the phone to get it straightened out, but we still arrive in Orlando at the same time. :)
 


I also wanted to say that I have not received an email from WestJet yet. I think if they cancel one of my flights, they would tell me.
 
I think WestJet must have made a bunch of changes yesterday. I've been stalking a direct Yhz-Mco flight for March and it looks like they got rid of that flight all together and no longer fly direct on Saturdays any more. Bummed!
 
I also wanted to say that I have not received an email from WestJet yet. I think if they cancel one of my flights, they would tell me.
NOPE! We had booked & paid for a flight last year --- leaving on a Thursday from a small airport west of Toronto (Kitchener) and noticed much later that they were only flying on Tuesdays. Went into my Westjet profile and it had with my itinerary that the flight had been cancelled. Checked online and discovered not only on just on Tuesdays but not until 2 weeks later. It took me over 90 minutes on the phone to get the flights changed, and it meant needing to fly out of Pearson.

Our kids were flying on AC and they had similar problems --just several hours difference not entire day changes and they also never got word. There were also a few people who booked flights thru Airmiles and ran into similar headaches. You need to check your itinerary OFTEN ...
 
Air Canada did that to me once... canceled a flight and didn't email me. Well, they 'said' that an email was sent, but it was never received. I am of the opinion that emails aren't always reliable. I now periodically check my flights on the website just to be sure.
 
NOPE! We had booked & paid for a flight last year --- leaving on a Thursday from a small airport west of Toronto (Kitchener) and noticed much later that they were only flying on Tuesdays. Went into my Westjet profile and it had with my itinerary that the flight had been cancelled. Checked online and discovered not only on just on Tuesdays but not until 2 weeks later. It took me over 90 minutes on the phone to get the flights changed, and it meant needing to fly out of Pearson.

Our kids were flying on AC and they had similar problems --just several hours difference not entire day changes and they also never got word. There were also a few people who booked flights thru Airmiles and ran into similar headaches. You need to check your itinerary OFTEN ...
The WestJet rep told me a email would go out to all affected by the changes last night...still waiting. I do randomly check my flights, as this has happened before with another airline, that one was a complete mess!
 
Thanks for the heads up! We have two trips booked on WestJet. I checked and all the flight times have changed. Some only 15 mins, the flight to Miami from Toronto was changed from 11am to 730 am. Seems like they have added more connecting flights with US carriers ie Delta/American. I called WJ to confirm the changes and the rep told me they are contacting everyone that has flight changes.
 
Well crap. The direct flight I booked is now non-direct! I am SO pissed, I wouldn't have used the Air Miles if I had known... and of course I can't get through on the phone.
 
Just got notice that WestJet changed our flights from Halifax via Toronto from a comfortable 3 hour layover to only 1 hr 45 min. Is that going to be enough time, especially given the increased security measures they want everyone to give extra time for? The benefit is that it gets us into MCO an hour earlier but short layovers stress me out and there's really no other convenient flight to switch to!

A) You should be fine. I wouldn't plan on having time for a sit-down meal or anything, but as long as you don't dawdle, you should have plenty of time, even if your flight from Halifax is a little behind schedule.

B) From what you've said, I'm guessing you're on the the 9:45 am out of Toronto. If you miss it, there is a 6 pm direct flight later that day, plus several connecting flights they could move you to. It'll mean getting into Orlando much later, so not ideal, but at least they should still be able to get you there that day.

c) Last March we were booked on a direct WestJet flight from Ottawa to Orlando. In January they cancelled our direct flight and re-routed us through Toronto. We were able to change our itinerary to basically whatever we wanted, at no charge. The day before our flight there was some bad weather coming through, and we were concerned we wouldn't get out on our morning flight, and would then miss our Toronto connection. I called WestJet to see if we could get out on a flight to Toronto that evening instead. At that time there was no travel advisory for the next day, so they weren't able to change our flights (without a fee) for weather related reasons, but even then they were able to switch us because our original flight had been cancelled. I'm not sure what kind of a change has to be made before they will do this, or if your itinerary qualifies, but there is a direct flight from YOW->MCO that day. Have you called WestJet to see if you can switch to that? It's later in the day, but if it will save you the stress of the connection, maybe it's worth it?
 
Well crap. The direct flight I booked is now non-direct! I am SO pissed, I wouldn't have used the Air Miles if I had known... and of course I can't get through on the phone.

Yup. The March direct flight I was looking at is also gone. I hadn't booked it, in part because I thought it unlikely to survive. Learned that lesson the hard way last year!
 
Yup. The March direct flight I was looking at is also gone. I hadn't booked it, in part because I thought it unlikely to survive. Learned that lesson the hard way last year!

I tried calling Wesjet, they can't help so I'm on hold with Air Miles now... just annoying! I would have booked differently if I had known or waited. The flight they cancelled was practically sold out, and is the same one I took in January so I don't get it. I only hope I can change it through the US at least, so we can clear Customs here instead of in Toronto. Wonder if they'll refund the difference in air miles for a cheaper flight. Ha!
 
The WestJet rep told me a email would go out to all affected by the changes last night...still waiting. I do randomly check my flights, as this has happened before with another airline, that one was a complete mess!
Not to beat a dead horse BUT i never, not once, got an email from Westjet ... and when i called they were less than sympathetic. First time i experienced bad service from them. There were many of us who went thru this last year --- and it was a complete mess. They told me that by adding the small star to my itinerary was their way of alerting me to a change in flights. What if i had never looked until it was time to check in for my flight??

@hdrolfe my F-I-L booked a flight thru Airmiles last year to fly out of Hamilton to St John NB, showed up at the airport to find out they no longer fly from there and AM was zero helpful. He had to get to Pearson and get a flight from there (no idea how the $$ was worked out)
 
Not to beat a dead horse BUT i never, not once, got an email from Westjet ... and when i called they were less than sympathetic. First time i experienced bad service from them. There were many of us who went thru this last year --- and it was a complete mess. They told me that by adding the small star to my itinerary was their way of alerting me to a change in flights. What if i had never looked until it was time to check in for my flight??

@hdrolfe my F-I-L booked a flight thru Airmiles last year to fly out of Hamilton to St John NB, showed up at the airport to find out they no longer fly from there and AM was zero helpful. He had to get to Pearson and get a flight from there (no idea how the $$ was worked out)

The email I originally got from Air Miles said they would contact me for any changes, but I didn't wait since I saw all the chatter here. I don't expect I will get anything from them and certainly not from West Jet.

I did call, got through and because there are no other direct flights to FLL from Ottawa for that day (or the ones before or after) they are refunding me everything. AM should be quick to get back but the money can take 2 billing cycles (60 days). Now to find new flights... UGH!!!! Kiddo is going to be upset about the non-direct flights.

THANKS TO ALL of you who posted on here. I am SO glad I didn't find this out at the last minute and be left scrambling. LOVE this community!
 

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