Major League Fumble: How a Fastpitch Team’s Journey Home Turned into a Marathon of Mishaps
Based on a True Life Story
In the world of sports, we often hear about clutch performances and game-changing plays. But sometimes, the real drama happens off the field. Just ask the Georgian Bay Giants, a fastpitch team that found themselves in a nightmare scenario courtesy of WestJet airlines.
Picture this: It’s August 17, 2024. The Giants have just wrapped up an eight-day tournament at the ISC World Tournament in Surrey, BC. They’re tired but satisfied, ready to head home to Toronto. With their group reservation of 24 passengers, they arrive at Vancouver airport, anticipating a smooth journey back east. Little did they know, they were about to step up to the plate in a game of patience and frustration.
The first curveball came in the form of a delay. Then another. And another. Three strikes, but they weren’t out – yet. WestJet was just warming up. The final pitch? A complete cancellation of their flight.
Now, you might think an airline would have a solid game plan for such situations. A relief pitcher in the form of hotel vouchers, perhaps? Or maybe a pinch-hitter of food vouchers? Surely, at the very least, a coach’s pep talk in the form of clear communication? Nope. WestJet’s playbook seemed to consist of a single strategy: “You’re on your own.”
The team was told they’d be put on the next available flight – on Tuesday. For those keeping score at home, that’s three days later. Three days stranded in Vancouver, with no offer of accommodation, transportation, or even a consolation hot dog.
But wait, it gets better. The WestJet agents then asked the team to leave the airport because they no longer had valid boarding passes. It’s like being ejected from a game you paid to play in.
Attempting to split up and find earlier flights home, the team approached the WestJet agents at the Vancouver Airport. But these agents passed the ball, telling them to call the 1-800 WestJet number. Spoiler alert: nobody answered.
The Giants took to Twitter, tagging WestJet in a series of posts that outlined their ordeal. They encouraged other ISC Fastpitch teams to repost their story, hoping to catch WestJet’s attention. It was a Hail Mary pass in the bottom of the ninth.
As of the last update, some of the team members managed to book a flight with Flair Airlines from Edmonton to Toronto – still 29 hours after their original flight time, but a full two days earlier than WestJet’s “solution.”
In the end, WestJet’s performance in this customer service game was far from championship caliber. They struck out on communication, whiffed on problem-solving, and ultimately forfeited any goodwill they might have had with these passengers.
The Georgian Bay Giants may have lost this particular battle with airline incompetence, but they’ve certainly won in the court of public opinion. Their story serves as a cautionary tale for both travelers and airlines alike.
As for WestJet? They might want to consider spending some time in the minor leagues of customer service training before they’re ready for the big show again.