Statement regarding the use of a WestJet flight PA system by Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre

statement-regarding-the-use-of-a-westjet-flight-pa-system-by-opposition-leader-pierre-poilievre

CALGARY, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CUPE 4070 represents cabin crew employees at WestJet. Local President Alia Hussain issued the following statement today:


It’s very disappointing that WestJet management let a politician use the public announcement (PA) system on a recent flight for his political statement. It is doubly disappointing that WestJet is now trying to assign blame on the cabin crew for this event. The cabin crew had no input into this decision.

WestJet’s own work rules state clearly that no one other than operating crew are to use the PA system.

A plane’s cabin crew should never be put in a position of having to take a political stance. Giving Mr. Poilievre a platform showed bad judgement by WestJet. Mr. Poilievre showed bad judgement taking that opportunity. It is the cabin crew who deal with passenger complaints. WestJet management and Mr. Poilievre should not have put them in that position.

A flight’s PA system should be used to give passengers information they need and require. The crew is responsible for the safety of everyone on board, and we take that responsibility seriously.

WestJet management and Mr. Poilievre owe passengers and crew an apology.

Contacts

Lou Arab

Communications Representative

780.271.2722

For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.

For the last half century, thousands of communications professionals have turned to us to deliver their news to the audiences most important to their business through the sources they trust most. Over that time, we've gone from a single office with one full time employee to more than 500 employees in 32 bureaus.