WestJet's CAD $12.5 million baggage-fee settlement was approved with a court-supervised claims protocol, but the February 2025 deadline has passed and no new Travel Bank credit claims are accepted.
Current Status
The court approved the settlement and distribution protocol on October 11, 2024. Claims were accepted from November 11, 2024, through February 10, 2025. The claim period is closed.
The official website explains that valid claims receive a pro rata WestJet Travel Bank credit rather than cash. It does not currently display a notice confirming that every credit has been issued, so this page does not describe distribution as complete.
What the Litigation Alleged
The consumer litigation alleged that WestJet charged some passengers for a first checked bag even though tariff language applicable to their tickets represented that one checked bag would be transported without an additional fee. The dispute concerned specified direct bookings and travel periods, not every baggage fee WestJet has ever charged.
WestJet denied liability and did not admit that its tariffs or charges were unlawful. The settlement resolved the covered claims without a trial and established a credit-based distribution process approved by the court.
Who Could File
The protocol covered certain passengers who booked directly with WestJet and paid a fee for a first checked bag. For Canadian domestic travel, the relevant tickets were issued on or after September 15, 2014, for travel from October 29, 2014, through July 29, 2017. For international travel, the ticket and travel windows were different: tickets issued on or after November 3, 2015, for travel from January 6, 2016, through February 27, 2019.
The detailed tariff, route, booking, and payment definitions controlled. A traveler who purchased through another airline or intermediary, traveled outside the windows, or paid for a second or additional bag was not necessarily eligible.
How the Travel Credits Work
The settlement's stated value is CAD $12.5 million in WestJet Travel Bank credits before deductions for approved fees, administration, disbursements, and an award. The remaining amount is allocated pro rata to valid claimants under the court-approved protocol.
The protocol uses different treatment for claims associated with travel before or after July 6, 2017, because limitation-period issues affected the litigation. Early estimates and caps in the notice were not guaranteed payment amounts. The final credit depends on the valid-claim population and applicable formula.
Credits are not a cash refund. They are placed in a claimant's WestJet Travel Bank, generally expire 24 months after issuance, and are not transferable. A claimant may still use the credit when making a booking for another guest, subject to WestJet's rules.
What Proof Was Required
Claimants used the Unique ID and PIN from a notice or supplied the booking confirmation information requested by the claim process. The administrator could compare a submission against ticket, baggage-fee, and class records.
A valid claim needed to connect the claimant to covered travel and a paid first-bag fee. Filing did not guarantee a credit or an advertised maximum. Duplicate, incomplete, ineligible, or unsupported submissions could be adjusted or denied under the protocol.
What Claimants Should Do Now
No new claim can be filed after February 10, 2025. Timely claimants should keep their confirmation, booking information, and administrator notices and should review their WestJet Travel Bank account for any issued credit and its expiration date.
The official website controls any distribution update. Open Class Actions cannot retrieve a claim, move a credit, extend its validity, or convert it to cash.
