WestJet said it is working around the clock to return 10 percent of its fleet to service after hail damaged more than a dozen aircraft in a vicious storm last week.
Still, the Calgary-based airline said it plans to proactively cancel flights for the foreseeable future and is currently averaging 50 flight cancellations per day.
“This storm had a higher impact on our aircraft and operations than other Canadian airlines, as we had more aircraft on the ground [at Calgary International Airport during the storm],” said Diederik Pen, president of WestJet Airlines and COO of WestJet Group, in a video statement.
The damage from last week’s storm requires comprehensive inspections and assessments, particularly to aerodynamic components that are more vulnerable than other parts of the aircraft structure.
“Per aircraft, we need 12 of our talented aircraft maintenance engineers working 24/7 to fix these aircraft,” said Gandeephan Ganeshalingham, vice-president of technical operations at WestJet.
“We’re sourcing specialized equipment and materials before repair work can begin. To accelerate the repair process, we’ve mobilized our tech ops teams members in Calgary and Toronto who are working 24/7 to safely bring all 16 aircraft back into service as quickly as possible.”
Boeing is helping evaluate the damage and repair for each affected aircraft, and WestJet is still working with Canadian North to operate additional flights, said Pen. The airline has also hired more AMEs, bringing them to Calgary from across the country to expedite repairs, he said.
“Key areas of our fleet that were unaffected by the storm are maintaining critical connectivity for our guests across our network,” added Pen.
It’s expected fewer per-day cancellations will be required as aircraft are phased back into service.
