Days after violence erupted in Puerto Vallarta and disrupted travel plans for many Canadians, some families are still trying to find a way home.

That includes travellers attempting to return to Edmonton, who say they have been scrambling to secure flights since before the unrest began last Sunday.

The Wywrot family was scheduled to wrap up their vacation in the popular Mexican resort city and fly home to Edmonton on a WestJet flight Saturday.

“Before we were supposed to fly out we kept getting notifications that our flight kept getting delayed,” said Joselina Wywrot in an interview from Mexico.

The Wywrots, along with fellow passengers the Benson family, say the flight was eventually rescheduled for Sunday.

That same day, a military operation targeting a Mexican cartel leader sparked retaliation in the area, with reports of violence, road closures and airport disruptions.

“Violence happened, flights were cancelled, roads were closed, airports shut down and we’ve been stuck here ever since,” said John Wywrot.

Widespread airline cancellations included the rebooked flight both families were set to take. As of Thursday, they remained in Puerto Vallarta trying to get home.

WestJet has been providing hotel accommodations, but the families say the prolonged delay is taking a toll.

“People are running out of medication, kids are now missing school, there’s lost wages,” John Wywrot said.

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Air passenger rights advocate Gabor Lukacs says federal regulations require airlines to rebook passengers on one of their own flights within 48 hours of a cancellation.

If that is not possible, he said, airlines must offer passengers the choice of a refund or rebooking on the next available flight with any carrier.

“If there was any flight out of Puerto Vallarta with seats available on it, then the passengers should have been in those seats,” Lukacs said.

In a statement, WestJet said it is “adding flights to accommodate returning guests.”

“As of Thursday, we have scheduled a total of 12 additional flights and are looking at options to add more depending on demand,” the airline said.

WestJet also said an agent booked the Wywrot family on a return flight for Friday over the phone. The family disputes that, saying they secured the booking themselves in an effort to end what they describe as an exasperating wait.

“It’s the unknown that’s frustrating,” said Sandra Benson.

British Columbians stuck in Mexico are expressing frustrations with the lack of communication and support from travel companies and airlines.

Lillian Alexus, a Qualicum Beach, B.C., resident, arrived in Puerto Vallarta on Feb. 8 and was due to fly home on Feb. 22.

“We had checked out of our resort on the 22nd and we were waiting in the lobby for the bus to take us to the airport when everything was shut down,” she told Global News.

“So then we had to see if we could get accommodation here. The message that we got from WestJet was that there was an issue, it wasn’t safe, shelter in place and we would hear from them. And we also were in contact with the Canadian government and they also said, you know, shelter in place and just wait.”

Cartel violence hit the popular tourist area of Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, cancelling flights in and out of the town.

Canadians were told to “shelter in place” after violence erupted over the killing of cartel leader and drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, better known as “El Mencho,” in a military raid.

Alexus said that all they have been doing is waiting.

She said they did get one email from WestJet that they could try to manage their trip on the website or the app, but she said it wasn’t working.

“We were in contact with our travel agent and she was on hold with WestJet for like five hours,” Alexus said.

“So we have tried phoning, we tried emailing.”

She said they are hearing nothing, but have finally booked a flight home on March 3.

“Our vehicle is parked at Comox, so we need to get back to Comox,” she added.

“We’ve had to extend our health insurance, we’ve had to get more prescription medications. It would just be really helpful to get some information, like are they working on it or have they forgotten about us? I have a booking number and I put that in and it doesn’t know, it says they don’t know what that is.”

Gábor Lukács, founder of Air Passenger Rights, told Global News that WestJet is not following the law.

“The law requires WestJet to rebook passengers on competitor airlines at its own dime in such situations,” he said.

“If the airline is unable to re-book a passenger on its own or partner airlines departing within 48 hours of the original departure time, they have to buy the passenger’s seat ticket on the next available flight of any carrier. And that means including competitors. That’s what the law says, that’s what WestJet has to do. The problem is that WestJet is flouting the law. WestJet treats the law as if it was just friendly recommendations.”

Lukács also said this situation could lend itself to a class action lawsuit.

“I think the only question is why WestJet feels that they can get away with it and the reason is because the federal government is not enforcing passengers’ rights,” he added.

“What we see here is not so much a failure in the drafting of the regulations as much as a failure of the government to enforce the law as written.”

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) confirmed to Global News in a statement that it is investigating the recent flight disruptions.

“As per the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), for flight delays or cancellations, airlines must try to minimize the impacts that they have on passengers and their travel,” the organization said. “They must always ensure that passengers can complete their itinerary as soon as possible.

Initially, the CTA said that “for large airlines and for situations outside their control, they must, at the passengers’ choice, refund any unused portion of the ticket or rebook them, free of charge, on their next available flight or on the next available flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement with from the passengers’ original airport within 48 hours after the departure time on their original ticket, or on a flight leaving another airport, if there is an option nearby, if they cannot book them on a flight leaving within 48 hours at the original airport.”

However, they later clarified their statement saying that “If airlines cannot book passengers on a flight leaving within 48 hours, they must rebook them on any flight by any airline, including at another airport, if there is an option nearby.”

It does not have to be an airline with which that airline has a commercial agreement.

Jonathan MacIntyre, from Kamloops, flew to Puerto Vallarta on WestJet on Feb. 16 and was due to fly home on Feb. 23.

He said they also haven’t had any communication from WestJet after hearing their flight was going to be rebooked, but then, nothing.

“We had no clue when we were going to be heading home,” MacIntyre said.

“So every time we had to extend our stay, we’re like, okay, are we staying one more night? And we just basically, every morning, our first step was go down to the hotel. Yep, we need to extend our stay. We have no plans to leave today. And then when you had breakfast, continue our day, wait to see what happens.”

He said he was able to find flights himself that would have suited him and his partner to get home, but they heard nothing about any availability from WestJet.

“They’re supposed to get you on the soonest flight possible on their carrier,” MacIntyre said. “And that’s the part that probably upsets me the most, because of all the flights that were there yesterday. The 48 hours is only if they use the competitors. And unfortunately for us, that ended at about 4:00 this evening. So they could have used the competitors tonight, but the fact they could’ve used their own yesterday and today and forever.”

He decided to take matters into his own hands and reached out to Lukács after getting nowhere with WestJet Vacations and Lukács gave him the information about the 48-hour window.

But when he called WestJet Vacations back with this information, he said he was told there were no available flights and they were not offered anything.

MacIntyre eventually booked flights home on WestJet, out of pocket, for $2,200.

“I’m also losing income right now,” he said. “I’m not working like I’m supposed to be. So I’m out of pocket, me, well, my partner is the one who paid for the flights, but me personally, I am going to be out of pocket almost $1,000 just in lost wages. That doesn’t include the fact that I potentially would have lost a concert that we had planned for this Saturday and a sporting event for Sunday that I’ve already paid for. So I would have been out of pocket over $1,500 most likely.”

MacIntyre said he also plans to take WestJet to the Civil Resolution Tribunal to get his money back.

“It’s completely bonkers because if I’m doing this and I’m a pretty tech-savvy guy and I know a lot of things to do, I can’t imagine what somebody else is going through right now,” he added.

“Somebody else in my situation might be sitting in an Airbnb, not an all-inclusive resort, with absolutely nothing that they can do other than sit on their hands, wait for the phone to ring, and WestJet to say, ‘Hey, get to the airport in the next two hours.’”

Lukács said MacIntyre did the right thing in this situation.

“When an airline fails to comply with its legal obligations to the passenger, the passenger is in a legal position to take things into their own hands,” he said.

“It’s important to first give the airline a chance to comply, and (MacIntyre) has done that. Once the airline failed to comply with its illegal obligations, you, as a passenger, can buy a ticket, incur expenses needed, come back to Canada, and then make WestJet pay for those expenses. Present the bill they received to WestJet; if they refuse to pay, take the airline to court.”

In a statement to Global News, WestJet said it has now scheduled 12 additional flights, aside from numerous scheduled daily flights, to Puerto Vallarta to help passengers return to Canada.

“Air-only guests can use our online Manage Trips tool and our call center to confirm new flights, or refunds if they prefer,” the airline said.

“Guests who booked via a travel agent may also contact their agent for assistance with rebooking or refunds. Guests travelling on Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations or Vacances WestJet Quebec are also welcome to contact their vacation provider or travel agent for assistance.”

WestJet also said that if a passenger has not received communications from them by this point, it may be due to incorrect or missing contact details in their reservation and they recommend contacting WestJet, their vacation provider, or their travel agent to obtain a flight or a refund.

Alexus said the situation has left them frustrated.

“We’ve been very loyal to WestJet for years,” she said. “Like we have their credit card, we always fly WestJet… We’ve been ghosted. We just don’t hear anything.”

Thousands of Canadians remain stranded in Mexico as widespread violence continued Monday in the popular tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta.

Explosions, gunshots and road blockades broke out following a Mexican military mission Sunday. Jalisco New Generation Cartel members were responding to the capture and death of leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.”

“We could see kind of black smoke all over the place,” Saskatoon resident Norbet Virlics said.

Puerto Vallarta looked more like a war zone than a vacation destination to many of those under the shelter-in-place order in the hours the fighting spread throughout Jalisco state.

“The world changed yesterday,” said a resident of Prince Albert, Sask., Jon Foster. “You always knew it wasn’t necessarily fine, but now there is definite evidence.”

Foster has been visiting the area for 40 years, but what has been unfolding around him has changed his sense of safety.

One of his Canadian friends staying in the same condo complex was on their way to meet him when their car was stopped by masked men.

“It happened just absolutely in a split second, that these people were on the vehicle immediately, had guns, had weapons, ordered them out,” Foster said.

“There were six motorcyclists. They ordered them out of the vehicle, immediately said, ‘Go stand over here,’ and within an incredibly short period of time had poured gasoline and torched it.”

The Canadian government says there are more than 26,000 Canadians stuck in Mexico.

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Although airlines and hotels are attempting to accommodate the situation, with streets and stores closed, supplies will have to be monitored.

“It’s depressing because we’ve been coming here for 27 years and we used to spend a lot of time down in the Puerto Vallarta area,” said a Regina resident in Nuevo Nayarit, Darren Stoppler.

Some say the hardest part is getting reliable information when the situation is changing quickly.

“The toughest part is that most of our information comes from the internet, social media, and sometimes it’s really tough to believe what you see on there,” Virlics said.

Most major airlines have posted to their websites that they plan to resume flights over the next few days after consultation with the Canadian government and Mexican authorities.

“We’re cautiously optimistic that tomorrow will be better than today, and we know that today is better than yesterday,” Foster said.

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The lockdown in Puerto Vallarta continues on Monday with thousands of Canadians still stuck in their homes, hotels and resorts.

Vancouver resident John Snyder lives part time in the Romantic Zone, where the worst of Sunday’s cartel violence happened.

He had left his home early to meet friends at a local restaurant on Sunday to watch the Olympic gold medal men’s hockey game and said the streets were very quiet at that time.

“About an hour into the game, the sun was up, and I looked out the window and I said, ‘I think we’re going to get a big storm, there’s black clouds everywhere’,” Synder told Global News on Monday.

“And then about a minute later, one of the owners stepped up in front of the TVs and basically said, ‘Sorry, folks, but I’m going to have to close all the windows, close all of the blinds, and we’re going to lock the doors because there are severe threats against everybody in town and we want to protect you guys.’”

Synder said that is when everyone’s phones started pinging with messages and images of what was happening in the streets outside.

“It was frightening, really, because the streets emptied out,” he said. “The owners were very serious about protecting us. The clouds, the skies were just black with smoke.”

There are currently more than 26,000 Canadians registered in Mexico as cartel violence hit the popular tourist area of Puerto Vallarta — and no plans for military or consular flights to assist Canadians getting out, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said on Monday.

Canadians in Puerto Vallarta are being asked to “shelter in place” after violence erupted in the seaside Mexican town over the killing of cartel leader and drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, better known as “El Mencho,” in a military raid on Sunday.

Synder captured photos of the chaos and destruction on the streets as he made it back to his home on Sunday. He said he saw vehicles on fire, burned businesses and buildings.

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Snyder said that he hopes things get back to normal soon.

“The tourists will get home eventually and they won’t be bothered,” he said.

“But a friend sent me a note this morning that 70 businesses were destroyed. There are no deaths locally, at least that we know of.”

Snyder said no trucks are entering the city yet as there are still burnt cars and buses blocking roadways.

“I suspect that the nationals are so resilient, they’ll get the place back in order because they realize the importance of the tourist industry and the importance of all the people that live in the city, and it’s a big city,” he added.

“And I believe there’s still going to be fruits and vegetables available, local meat markets, fish stores, they’re going to all be without a doubt supplied. So I’m not too worried about that, really. I’m just worried. I’m worried more about the nationals.”

 

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• 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.

Canadians in Puerto Vallarta are being asked to shelter in place as the Canadian government warns violence is escalating in Mexico’s Jalisco state.

Global Affairs Canada issued a notice on its travel advisory page for Mexico on Sunday, warning of violence and roadblocks in the region.

“Criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles in several cities in Jalisco State, including in Puerto Vallarta. There have been shootouts with security forces and explosions,” said the notice.

It goes on to say a shelter in place order is in effect in Puerto Vallarta, with all taxi and rideshare services suspended.

Air Canada said in a post on X that it has temporarily suspended operations Sunday to the Puerto Vallarta airport due to an ongoing situation.

A spokesperson for WestJet said it’s carefully monitoring the situation and has diverted seven flights enroute to Puerto Vallarta. It has also cancelled 24 additional flights to and from Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Manzanillo.

WestJet added it’s put its flexible/change policy in effect for guests travelling to these cities in the next two days. The airline, as well as Sunwing, are arranging extended stays for guests already at these locations.

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Jalisco state Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro said in a post on social media that federal forces carried out an operation in Tapalpa early Sunday morning, leading to clashes in the area.

Navarro said he had given the order to activate a code red.

He said vehicles have been burned and blocked in some places to hinder the actions of authorities.

People in the state are urged to keep a low profile, follow the advice of local authorities, and monitor local and international media to stay informed, Global Affairs Canada says.

—with files from The Associated Press

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