Printer issue causes Winnipeg couple to miss flight, vacation rebooked
A Winnipeg couple was supposed to be flying off on a vacation to the Caribbean Wednesday morning, but they went nowhere, all because of a printer issue.
Debbie and Tom Glenewinkel should be on the beaches of Antigua enjoying their three-week vacation but instead, they're unpacking.
"We could not print our baggage tags. And this was the issue. The baggage tags were not printing," said Debbie.
She and her husband, along with other passengers with international connections were not allowed to board their WestJet flight. Then, two hours after arriving at the airport, the plane left without them.
The couple said they are angry and upset by what happened.
In a statement to CTV News Winnipeg, a spokesperson for WestJet said, "This morning we experienced a system-wide advanced passenger information system (APIS) issue.
"All inbound guests to the U.S. were affected and this was not an issue exclusive to WestJet but was experienced by all airlines travelling to the U.S. from Canada. Guests travelling on WS520, connecting through Toronto, en route to the U.S. were denied boarding in an effort to ensure they were not stranded in their connecting destination, as at the time they would not have been able to make it to their final destination," the statement said.
Passenger rights advocate Gabor Lukacs says he believes the current regulations need to be strengthened. He says there is a lack of enforcement of the current rules and they're too complex.
"It takes an unreasonable amount of resources and evidence to determine whether a passenger is or isn't entitled to compensation," said Lukacs.
Debbie and Tom were able to rebook their flight for Sunday and adjusted their accommodation plans in Antigua.
"We're very fortunate that friends are already down there, staying where we're going to be staying. So it isn't an issue for us to get a place," said Debbie.
WestJet told CTV News Winnipeg that all guests who were affected by the issue have now been re-accommodated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.