What was supposed to be a relaxing Mexican getaway turned into a travel horror story for hundreds of Canadian passengers after WestJet canceled their return flight and left them stranded in Tulum for three days with minimal assistance.
The ordeal began on Saturday when WestJet’s flight from Tulum to Calgary faced repeated delays before being canceled 14 hours after its scheduled departure time. The airline cited hydraulic issues with the aircraft as the reason for the cancellation. Passengers reported being left at the airport late at night without clear information about when they might return home.
Calgary resident Bryce Drohan, one of the affected travelers, described the chaotic scene. “Our flight kept getting delayed until finally, after 14 hours, they canceled it completely,” he said.
With no immediate solution, WestJet arranged buses to transport passengers about 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the Barcelo resort. However, the resort staff were caught completely off guard—the airline had failed to notify them that over 200 stranded travelers were arriving.
“It was absolute chaos when we got there,” Drohan said. “The hotel had no warning, but thankfully, they did their best to accommodate everyone.” Despite the resort staff’s efforts, WestJet provided no further communication to passengers, leaving them in limbo.
Frustrated travelers tried reaching the airline through calls, emails, and messages but received no response. “No communication from WestJet whatsoever—no representative, no phone call, no email,” Drohan said.
The next day, passengers were bused back to the airport for another attempt at flying home. After boarding the plane, they waited on the tarmac for 45 minutes before being told the hydraulic repairs were incomplete and the flight was canceled again.
To make matters worse, airport staff initially insisted that passengers would have to sleep overnight on the aircraft with no food or water. “The pilot had to argue with airport officials to get us off the plane,” Drohan said. Eventually, buses returned the exhausted travelers to the same resort, where staff once again scrambled to find them rooms.
By Monday, passengers made a third attempt to fly home. After yet another delay, the flight finally departed in the late afternoon, arriving in Calgary around 10 p.m. local time.
Despite the three-day ordeal, WestJet denied compensation claims from all affected passengers. In a statement, the airline apologized for the “inconvenience” and blamed “unscheduled maintenance.” They thanked hotel and airport staff for their assistance but offered no explanation for the repeated failures in communication and customer support.
Passengers like Drohan were left feeling abandoned. “WestJet took our money and then left us to fend for ourselves,” he said. “The only people who helped us were the hotel staff—WestJet did nothing.”
The incident highlights growing concerns about how airlines handle operational disruptions and whether passengers can rely on them in emergencies. With no accountability from WestJet, many travelers are now questioning whether they can trust the airline in the future.
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