How did we go from WestJet to LessJet? | CUPE 8125 WestJet Component

We’ve slashed legroom, jacked up fees, and squeezed our front-line workers to the breaking point. Enjoy your flight!

Remember when flying WestJet actually felt different? The cozy branding. The undeniable feeling that you were supporting a hometown, Western success story that did things right.

Back then, employees were owners, and you could feel that pride in the cabin.

That airline is gone.

Since handing the reins over to a private equity firm, WestJet has traded its unique entrepreneurial spirit for a ruthless corporate playbook.

Today, the operation is just about cutting corners. You feel it every time you book a ticket: baggage and seat selection fees multiply, perks disappear, and legroom shrinks.

But the people feeling it the most are the ones in the aisle. The crews actually making the airline run are being squeezed to the breaking point. Flight attendants are working grueling, maxed-out schedules to cover staffing gaps - while being unpaid for many work hours!

They are expected to manage boarding chaos and ground delays entirely off the clock.

Management is busy acquiring competitors and boasting about network expansion, all while claiming there isn't enough money to offer its front-line workers a fair, livable contract.

WestJet’s flight attendants are fighting to bring back the airline you deserve. They need public support to stop the race to the bottom.

20,370 Signatures

25,000 Goal

20,370 Signatures

25,000 Goal

Tell WestJet to do better

Send a message to WestJet's Management Team and the Federal Government.

Use the form below to send a message directly to WestJet management, the Prime Minister, the Federal Minister of Transport, and your local MP.

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I am writing to express my deep concern over the rapid decline of WestJet's service standards and the unacceptable treatment of the flight attendants who keep the airline running.

WestJet used to be a point of pride in Western Canada, a company built on an entrepreneurial spirit, a strong culture, and genuine care for both its employees and its passengers. Today, that airline is unrecognizable. It has become a corporation that squeezes its front-line workers to the breaking point while expecting the traveling public to accept a stripped-down, noticeably worse experience.

To WestJet management: You cannot nickel-and-dime your way to long-term success. Your flight attendants are exhausted, under-supported, and undervalued. You are trading your reputation for short-term margins, and the public is noticing.

To our elected officials: We need regulatory oversight that prevents Canadian aviation from becoming a race to the bottom. An airline's financial strategies should not be built on the backs of workers struggling to make ends meet while providing essential travel infrastructure.

I stand firmly with WestJet's flight attendants. I expect management to negotiate a fair, respectful contract immediately, and I expect our elected officials to ensure Canadian airlines are held to a standard that protects both workers and consumers.

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You miss the old WestJet? So do the exhausted people serving you.

We’ve slashed legroom, jacked up fees, and squeezed our front-line workers to the breaking point. Enjoy your flight!

Send a message to WestJet's Management Team and the Federal Government.