'Disappointing': WestJet cancels bookings for affordable Europe journeys after system glitch

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A number of Albertans thought they’d discovered the deal of a lifetime final week, with prices within the low triple-digits for flights to Europe. However they acquired some disappointing information earlier than they may a lot as e-book a resort.

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A number of clients booked flights on WestJet by way of low cost airfare web site FlightHub from Alberta to varied locales in Europe for as little as a few hundred {dollars} each methods — however these offers proved too good to be true.

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Edmontonian Luis De La Torre was trying to e-book a shock journey to Paris for his spouse’s birthday in November. He’d been casually shopping, searching for low cost flights, when he noticed a spherical journey on FlightHub for simply over $400 every — about half the price he paid for the most effective deal he discovered up to now.

“I used to be tremendous pleased,” he mentioned. “I used to be going to attempt to hold it a secret from my spouse as late as a few weeks or every week earlier than we journey.”

However simply as De La Torre began to plan for the journey and inform abroad associates he and his spouse can be on the town, he obtained an e-mail from FlightHub, refunding the acquisition he’d made solely hours earlier.

“WestJet has requested to cancel the reservation on account of a third-party error,” he learn aloud from the e-mail.

“I used to be very disenchanted . . . I believed that was simply type of deceiving to see these costs however then not be capable of e-book for these costs.”

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WestJet doesn’t say what number of clients booked discounted tickets

A number of folks on social media have reported the identical subject. All the flights in query seem to have had a deliberate connection in Calgary, the airline’s world connecting hub.

On the WestJet website Wednesday, costs for a round-trip flight from Edmonton or Calgary to Paris have been a minimal of $725 per particular person all through the month of November — making the value for each De La Torre and his spouse to go round $1,450.

WestJet informed Postmedia it grew to become conscious of the problem final Friday, saying it originated from an replace to the airline’s pc system that brought about fares to show incorrectly on some third-party web sites.

“It is very important notice that WestJet has not made any modifications to our fare pricing and these fares have been sadly displayed in error,” WestJet mentioned in a written assertion.

WestJet mentioned it took motion to shortly rectify the glitch and notify affected clients as quickly as attainable.

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“We perceive how irritating this example has been for many who booked,” it mentioned.

The airline didn’t say what number of clients booked the discounted, and now refunded, tickets.

De La Torre mentioned it’s simple for keyboard critics to make enjoyable of him and others for falling for the glitch, with many saying it was “clearly too low cost to be actual.”

“Individuals are complaining that we shouldn’t be disenchanted as a result of it’s not sensible however, in actuality, I really feel the problem is that disappointment of taking a look at a advertising or commercial for a product that on the finish of the day just isn’t actual,” he mentioned.

“I perceive it’s an error, but when I name for service and so they ship me a quote for X quantity and we shake arms, I’d count on you to uphold your aspect.”

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Twitter: @MichaelRdrguez

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