Edmonton couple stranded in Caribbean after WestJet strike aftermath

An Edmonton couple, Elaine Schulz-Charlery and Timothy Charlery, find themselves stranded in St. Lucia following the recent WestJet strike. Their planned return on Sunday was thwarted when their flight was canceled due to the labor action. A subsequent attempt by WestJet to rebook them through Atlanta, Georgia, proved unworkable because Timothy, a Canadian permanent resident traveling on a St. Lucian passport, would require a U.S. visitor visa for the transit. "That wasn't a viable option for us," Schulz-Charlery stated, emphasizing that traveling without her husband was not an option for her as a Canadian citizen. Despite requests to be booked on other airlines, WestJet maintained that its proposed route met its obligation to rebook within a 48-hour window, even though it was impossible for Timothy to use. The couple has since been rebooked on a flight to Edmonton via Toronto, but it is not scheduled to depart until Sunday, July 9. This delay causes significant stress, as Schulz-Charlery, who works in accounting, was due back for month-end duties. They are also concerned about the mounting costs of an extended stay, including food and accommodation, as they are currently staying with her brother-in-law and lack nearby grocery stores. Airline Passenger Rights president Gabor Lukacs criticized WestJet's stance, calling an itinerary impossible for a passenger to take due to documentation requirements "unreasonable."

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That wasn’t a viable option for us.