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WestJet flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your WestJet flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? WestJet is not an EU or UK airline, so EU261 and UK261 apply only to its flights departing the EU or the UK. Here is what to expect and what to do.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: Reading time: 8 min How we write our guides

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: On WestJet flights departing the EU you are entitled to €250–600 compensation for an arrival delay of more than 3 hours, a cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure, or involuntary denied boarding – unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. A Canadian airline: UK261 covers its flights departing UK airports (e.g. Heathrow–Calgary) and EU261 its flights departing EU airports. Flights from Canada to the UK or EU are covered by Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations instead.

IATA code
WS
Headquarters
Calgary
Hub
Calgary (YYC), Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
flights departing the EU

WestJet flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your WestJet flight reached its final destination at least 3 hours late (counting from when the doors opened), and the cause was within the airline's control – a technical fault, staff shortage, a delay on the previous flight, a strike by its own staff – you are entitled to compensation. It is not due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances (weather, an air traffic control strike, an airport closure). Read the full conditions here.

Typical WestJet routes: London Heathrow–Calgary, London Gatwick–Canada (seasonal), Edinburgh–Canada (seasonal), Dublin–Canada (seasonal).

WestJet flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, WestJet must offer you a refund of the ticket price (within 7 days) or re-routing on the earliest available flight – including another airline's, if that is quicker. If you were told about the cancellation less than 14 days before departure and the re-routing offered differed significantly from the original flight, you are also entitled to compensation. More on the 14-day rule.

How much compensation for a WestJet flight?

Flight distanceDelay on arrivalCompensation per passenger
Up to 1,500 km
e.g. London–Paris, Berlin–Rome, Dublin–Amsterdamover 3 hours€250UK261: £220
1,500–3,500 km, and every flight within the EU over 1,500 km
e.g. London–Athens, Frankfurt–Tenerife, Rome–Tel Avivover 3 hours€400UK261: £350
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EU
e.g. London–New York, Frankfurt–Dubai, Paris–Bangkokbetween 3 and 4 hours€300UK261: £260 (reduced by 50%)
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EUover 4 hours€600UK261: £520

Check your WestJet flight

Two minutes, free, no sign-up.

What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

How punctual was WestJet in the UK in 2025?

WestJet operated 1,691 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.85% were 3 hours or more late and 3.37% were cancelled – see how that compares with the UK average below and in our UK delay statistics.

Flights operated
1,691

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
63.9%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.85%

1 in 118 flights · worse than the UK average

Cancelled
3.37%

59 flights · worse than the UK average

Average delay
18.4 min

UK average 15.1 min

Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority punctuality statistics 2025 – departures and arrivals combined, measured against the schedule at the UK airport. How we use this data

UK airportFlightsOn time3 h+ lateCancelled
London Heathrow70964.8%1.34%4.83%
Edinburgh62167.4%0.45%2.66%
London Gatwick36156.3%0.55%1.63%

What to know when claiming from WestJet

  • WestJet has a dedicated EU/UK claim form (westjet.com → Interruptions → European regulation) for WestJet-operated flights departing the EU or UK. You need your reservation code and 13-digit ticket number; one form per traveller, no login. WestJet says it will respond within 30 days.
  • Claims companies must provide a letter of authorisation from you, according to WestJet's form.
  • WestJet says it is not subscribed to an approved ADR scheme and lists the national enforcement bodies by departure country – for flights from the UK, the CAA.

Typical rejection reasons – and how to answer them

  • ‘Labour disruption’ – a strike by WestJet's own staff (as in August 2026) is not an extraordinary circumstance (CJEU C-28/20 Airhelp v SAS).

About WestJet

WestJet was founded on 27 June 1994 and began flying on 29 February 1996 as a low-cost airline in western Canada. It has since grown into Canada's second-largest airline, with Boeing 787 Dreamliners on its long-haul routes from Calgary. The private-equity firm Onex owns most of it; Delta Air Lines, Korean Air and Air France–KLM took minority stakes in 2025.

WestJet flies all year from London Heathrow to Calgary and seasonally from London Gatwick, Edinburgh and Dublin. In the CAA's 2025 figures it operated 1,691 flights at UK airports, with only 63.9% on time and 3.37% cancelled – more than three times the UK average cancellation rate.

London–Calgary is about 7,000 km, so a flight from the UK that arrives 4 hours or more late, or a cancellation at short notice, gives £520 per passenger. The flight back from Canada is covered by Canada's APPR, not UK261.

How to claim directly from WestJet

  • Official online form: westjet.com
  • EU/UK claim form for WestJet-operated flights departing the EU or UK: reservation code and 13-digit ticket number, one form per traveller, no login; WestJet says it responds within 30 days. Third-party companies must provide a letter of authorisation. WestJet says it is not subscribed to an approved ADR scheme and lists the national enforcement bodies (UK: CAA).
  • Our complaint letter generator writes the letter for you – filled in, as a printable PDF.

We checked these claim channels on the airline's own website (10 November 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Am I entitled to compensation if my WestJet flight was at least 3 hours late?

Yes, if the flight departed from an EU airport and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amount depends on the distance: €250, €400 or €600.

How do I submit a claim to WestJet?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.westjet.com/en-gb/interruptions/eu-alternate-dispute/european-regulation), or through our partner AirHelp, which checks the flight data and, if the airline rejects the claim, takes the case to the enforcement body or to court – for a fee of 35% only if it succeeds.

How long do I have to claim for a WestJet flight?

Limitation periods vary by country and are set by national law – for example 6 years in England & Wales, 5 years in Scotland and Hungary, and 3 years in Germany (from the end of the year). AirHelp typically accepts claims for flights up to 3 years old.

WestJet offered me a voucher instead of compensation. Do I have to accept it?

No. Under the Regulation, compensation is paid in money; the airline may only give you a voucher with your written agreement. If you want money, do not accept it.

Flew with another airline?

The WestJet name and trademark belong to their owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site with no connection to the airline. The content is for information only and is not legal advice. We receive a commission when a claim submitted through our partner links succeeds.

Sources

  1. WestJet – official claim / complaints page – WestJet
  2. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex
  4. Delays and cancellations – your rights – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.