• Are you a Canadian in Puerto Vallarta right now? Reach out to us at shareyourstory@globalnews.ca with information on what you are experiencing and how we can get in touch with you.

Canadian travellers impacted by violent conflicts in Mexico may be able to get a refund or modify their upcoming bookings as airlines begin to offer more flexibility.

Escalating tensions in and around Puerto Vallarta in the western Mexico state of Jalisco prompted a shelter in place order in the city over the weekend, leaving many travellers, including Canadians, locked in their hotel rooms.

Canada’s major air carriers say they are aware of the evolving situation and are notifying affected customers, some of whom described the city as a “war zone” on Sunday.

“People are mostly calm and just staying tight and sort of maybe a bit quieter than usual and trying to figure out what’s really going on,” said Jeff Willis, a Manitoba resident who is currently in Puerto Vallarta.

“But behind our unit, you can see multiple, multiple areas of smoke and it looks like a war zone.”

According to the Mexican embassy in the U.S., the military operation on Sunday was conducted to achieve the arrest of Ruben “N,” also known as Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes or “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

There are more than 26,000 Canadians on the ground in Mexico. The volatility comes as some universities are on reading weeks and as the spring travel season approaches, which typically sees an uptick in people flocking south.

If you are in Puerto Vallarta or a region experiencing unrest, Global Affairs Canada is urging Canadians to register with the government and to be in touch through SOS@international.gc.ca or +1 613 996 8885 for those currently outside of the country.

Air Canada and other carriers have cancelled flights into and out of Puerto Vallarta (PVR) airport scheduled for Feb. 23, with travel advisories expanding to surrounding regions in Mexico. Flights were also cancelled on Sunday.

“We are monitoring the situation closely, and are in contact with local Mexican authorities as well as Transport Canada,” said Air Canada in a statement on Sunday.

“Customers are advised not to attempt to go to the airport unless their flight which they have a confirmed booking for is shown as operating on aircanada.com. We will contact customers with new flight information as soon as the situation allows it.”

WestJet, which includes applicable Sunwing Airlines flights, Air Transat and Porter Airlines, have all issued similar statements as of Monday.

Here’s what travellers need to know.

Travellers who have had their flights cancelled by an airline are almost always expected to receive a refund or alternative flight arrangements free of charge.

The Canadian Transportation Agency, or CTA, states that an airline has minimum obligations when a flight is delayed or cancelled, regardless of the reasons.

“When a flight is delayed or cancelled (including before the day of travel), an airline has minimum obligations to passengers that could include certain kinds of assistance (standards of treatment), rebooking or refunds, and up to $1,000 in compensation for inconvenience,” the CTA says on its website.

“Their obligations depend on whether the disruption is within the control of the airline, within the airline’s control but required for safety, or outside the airline’s control.”

The CTA adds that the airline must also offer customers accommodation if they are stranded overnight as the result of cancelled or delayed flights.

In these situations, accommodations must be free of charge to the passenger, be “reasonable” in relation to their location and the airline must provide transportation to and from those accommodations.

The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) issued a travel advisory to all Canadian travelers either in Mexico or heading to the country.

“Adhere to all government safety directives and contact travel suppliers to determine the soonest available options for alternative arrangements to return home once it’s safe to do so,” THIA said in a statement to Global News.

“Some travel insurance plans may provide benefits for delayed return due to covered reasons, so retain receipts for unexpected costs and contact your provider for coverage guidance.”

THIA also alerted travelers either heading to Mexico or had a flight turned around that “most airlines and travel providers are providing alternative arrangements for impacted travelers. Flight interruption benefits may also provide protection under some travel insurance policies.”

Canadians with pre-booked trips in the coming days or weeks are advised to “continue monitoring Government of Canada travel advisories for the destination in Mexico where your trip is scheduled. Travel insurance plans may provide coverage for trip cancellation if a level 3 (yellow) or 4 (red) advisory against travel is issued.”

If travellers are already at their destination, like affected regions of Mexico, those customers may have already been contacted by their air carrier about their upcoming flights back home.

Late Sunday, Air Canada said that six flights had been cancelled and roughly 500 customers had been impacted.

“Due to the security situation in Puerto Vallarta,  Air Canada has temporarily suspended operations there today [Sunday],” said Air Canada in a written statement.

“We have cancelled three flights to and three flights from PVR to and from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, representing just under 500 customers in total each way.”

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Depending on the airline and type of booking, some customers may be able to modify or cancel their travel plans if they don’t want to wait to see how the situation in Mexico evolves.

Air travel bookings may include flexibility options for changes or cancellations, which often come at a higher price premium, while most basic fare options mean customers have to pay a penalty to make any changes or request a refund.

But some airlines are making exceptions to these policies, given the circumstances, by waiving change fees and penalties to offer more flexibility for customers — even for the most basic fares.

Although all flights scheduled for Feb. 23 into and out of Puerto Vallarta have been cancelled by major Canadian airlines, all have confirmed through statements that there are some flexible change options for flights scheduled through Feb. 25.

In most cases, this means customers with flights scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday into and out of Puerto Vallarta and some other Mexican destinations will be able to modify their bookings without having to pay a penalty.

“A flexible policy is in place until the 25th, meaning customers can change their ticket without incurring change fees (a price difference may apply), regardless of the fare they purchased. They can do that on the website or the app,” said Air Canada in a statement sent to Global News Monday.

Similar flexibility options are being offered through Westjet, along with Sunwing Airlines, Air Transat and Porter Airlines, according to separate statements sent to Global News on Monday.

“WestJet’s flexible/change policy has been put into effect for guests travelling to PVR, GDL and ZLO over the next two days. For guests currently in destination, WestJet and Sunwing are arranging extended stays so guests can comply with local official guidelines,” said WestJet in a written statement.

“Exceptional flexibility conditions are offered to travellers with a scheduled flight to Puerto Vallarta on Feb. 24 or 25. They may change their booking without penalty, or cancel their trip and receive a travel credit valid for 12 months from the original return date,” said Air Transat in a written statement.

“Puerto Vallarta operations are currently suspended due to airport restrictions. Two round-trip flights from Ottawa and Toronto were cancelled today. Passengers are currently being offered complimentary flight changes through Feb. 25,” said Porter Airlines in a written statement.

Sunwing also shared a statement, citing WestJet’s flight cancellations.

Sunwing is owned by WestJet.

“Change fees will be waived or you may request a refund to your original form of payment. Customers with imminent travel plans are encouraged to check the status of their flight prior to heading to the airport. Please contact our Sales Centre or Group Sales team … for flexible booking options if you are scheduled to travel to Puerto Vallarta between February 22 and 25,” said Sunwing Airlines in a statement.

Are you a Canadian in Puerto Vallarta right now? Reach out to us at shareyourstory@globalnews.ca or using the contact form below to share your experience and how we can get in touch with you.