WestJet Says Flight Cancellations Post-Hailstorm to Continue for ‘Foreseeable Future’

WestJet says it will be issuing flight cancellations “for the foreseeable future” after planes were damaged by a Calgary hailstorm last week, upending travel plans for thousands of passengers. The country’s second-biggest carrier says 16 aircraft, or 10 percent of its fleet, remain out of commission nine days after the tempest rained down golf ball-sized ice pellets onto parts of southern Alberta, including the province’s largest airport. After assessing the damage, the airline says sourcing specialized equipment and materials to complete repairs and inspections will take several weeks. WestJet says it has cancelled more than 600 flights since Aug. 5, with 50 trips per day on average now being called off and more than 20,000 customers affected....