The Kick Off for the Long Way Home 2015

David Reed

The day before the event at Government House in Regina Saskatchewan, the three teams involved in this, the final walk for Kate called "The Long Way Home 2015" converged at the home of David & Danielle Reed.

David Reed is an Aide de Camp to the Lieutenant Governor General and was in charge of the honour guard at Government House.

The 3 teams involved in the Long Way Home 2015 are The Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation team, The N.A.S.H. Project and of course Kate MacEachern's team.

The Reeds with a welcome
sign made by their children

Her Honour with the puppy

As a benefactor of Kate's walk, Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation has helped the cause by getting sponsors for a truck and tailer, helping to set up some of the events along the route and taking care of a lot of other small details.

Danielle Reed (L) Heather Salloum (B)
Her Honour (R)

The N.A.S.H. Project, which is also one of the benefactors of Kate's walk, is joining Kate for the entire trip from Nipawin SK to Chilliwack BC.


Rebecca Santanna, the founder of The N.A.S.H. Project and her daughter Emily will be riding horses in the ditch beside Kate.

A very proud and honoured Kate

Their driver and support person Lisa Peterson will be ensuring the horse team will have everything they need while on this journey. There are 4 horses that will be being sharing the trail duties.


Kate MacEachern's team includes Paula DeLorey, Kate's medic, Sophie Pyne, Kate's photographer, JoAnne Power-Gilliland, known as Gunny, Kate's Driver and Kate's son Tyler, who is joining his mother for the first 30 days of her journey.  Also in Kate's entourage, her father Hugh and her aunt, Linda and myself (I am Kate's Ops Manager).

The Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation team, also benefactors of Kate's walk, includes Blake Emmons, the founder of the Wounded Warriors Weekend, Pat Varga who is heading up the "events" team, Brenda Frederickson, also on the "events" team, Verda Hoppe along with a whole host of volunteers.

The woman who is responsible for ensuring the media knows about all three teams and their roles is Cindy Murphy, who is a fabulous publicist.

The BBQ hosted by David and Danielle was not only a fantastic time but a wonderful  opportunity for everyone from the three teams to meet face to face,

A huge surprise awaited Kate!

Heather Salloum, the executive director of the Lieutenant Governor's office and Vaughn Solomon Schofield, the Lieutenant Governor General of Saskatchewan came for the BBQ and Her Honour presented Kate with the Lieutenant Governor General's Service Pin and right on the heels of that, she presented Kate with a replica of her Diamond Jubilee medal which had been stolen a couple of years ago.

Ken Madraga of Melody Ford
presenting Kate the keys

Kate was emotional and understandably so.

After the fantastic meal that Reed's hosted, the teams headed to the Ramada Inn Regina to get rested and ready for the big day at Government House.

Before we could head to Government House the next morning, Ken Madraga of Melody Ford in Melfort Saskatchewan presented Kate and her team with an F250 Crew Cab to use as the tow rig for her journey.  It was a moment that I am sure no one, especially Kate will forget.

The weather was picture perfect on April 29th and Government House was filled with excitement, pomp and pageantry.

The horses of the N.A.S.H. Project had their own pen right out front of Government House and the media scrum that would be held after the reception was held beside their pen.

After a wonderful luncheon, the ceremony began, with Her Honour coming through not one, but two honour guards.

Vaughn Solomon Schofield and her right hand gal Heather had invited 9 chiefs to attend the ceremony/reception for Kate and the teams and out of 9, 8 of them came! The ninth chief wanted to attend but she was out of country at a conference.

The Army, Navy, Air Force, RCMP, Municipal Police and EMS chiefs for the province of Saskatchewan were all there.

After hearing the moving speech from Her

Honour, the cutest little gal named Destiny presented the Lieutenant Governor General with the puppy that the N.A.S.H. Project donated to the province of Saskatchewan to be trained as a service dog.  Her Honour dubbed him "Ruff Rider". The puppy, a Mastiff- Great Dane cross was oblivious to all of the happiness and joy he brought to the day.






We got to hear from Rebecca of the N.A.S.H. Project and why therapy horses and service dogs are so successful in helping those with PTSD.


Next up was Blake Emmons of the Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation.

He spoke of the power of camaraderie, common experience and the healing that provides those with PTSD.

Then came Corporal Kate MacEachern Ret'd who delivered a moving and passionate speech on PTSD and what the walk means to her, her fellow sufferers/survivors and her team.

As we all watched this amazing young woman speak, the sense of anticipation, the challenge, the heartache and the triumph that lays ahead was palpable.

"Untied We Stand, Divided We Don't Stand a Chance" is the line she closed with.

It was a fitting train of thought to end the reception on.

The media scrum that followed lasted about an hour and a half with media from all over Saskatchewan interviewing the two road team members. Dixon Christie, producer and videographer of "Battle Scars" who is filming for a documentary on Kate's walk was on hand interviewing the various team members as well.

As Kate's Ops Manager, it was hard to say goodbye to everyone on the teams, but they had a good four hour drive ahead of them to get to Nipawin, the home of the Wounded Warriors Weekend and Kate's step off location.

As I got on a plane to head back to Grande Prairie, the two road teams were busy packing their gear into a toy hauler provided by Chegus RV in Watson SK.

I am told that the pancake breakfast hosted by the Town of Nipawin and their Legion was huge success and we know that Kate, Rebecca and Emily made it to their first overnight stop in Love SK.

It takes a lot of people to organize an event of this magnitude and every person who has been involved has stepped up in stellar fashion.

As Kate walks from Nipawin SK to Chilliwack BC, Rebecca and Emily of the N.A.S.H. Project will be ditch riding along with her and the walk and ride will culminate at this year's location for the Wounded Warriors Weekend - Chilliwack BC.

The ladies of these two teams have a long and arduous journey ahead of them, they will walk and ride through all of Mother Nature's changing moods and hopefully you will come out to meet them, support them and donate to the cause.

You can follow their journey and donate to the cause by visiting www.thelongwayhome.ca  
If you want to join Kate along the way, you will have to sign a waiver which can be downloaded on the website.

For media inquiries you can contact Cindy Murphy at: dcmurphey@sasktel.net

All photos by Sophie Pyne - Official Photographer for The Long Way Home.

If you are blessed to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
Ops Manager, The Long Way Home 2015



Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

The Inaugural Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest

Dirk Vermin

This weekend the Inaugural Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest is on at the Entrec Centre out at Evergreen Park.

Hosted by Peter Robertson from Peace River, the Grande Prairie show is one of two shows hosted by Robertson. The Grimshaw show is on next weekend at the Mile Zero Multiplex!

The show here in Grande Prairie is affordable ($10 for adults to get in), has a reasonable number of vendors for a first effort, its well laid out and offers up some wicked music.

There's a beer gardens, tattooists plying their crafts, leather shops, clothing, some nice old automobiles and a good showing of motorcycles...yes, definitely a great way to spend a few hours.

You'll get the chance to meet Dirk Vermin of Bad Ink and Athena Lee who is an American musician, drummer and actor. 

Her older brother is none other that Mötley Crüe's drummer Tommy Lee and that makes her the ex-sister-in-law of actresses Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson. 

She and her daughter are Tobi also part of the TV series Ex Wives of Rock.

I had the pleasure of judging the tattoo contest with Athena and Tobi, Dirk was on Emcee duties.

What a hoot!  

There was some nice ink to gander at and I think the tattoos that were chosen to win their classes truly deserved to win, although I will say, there truly wasn't what you'd call a bad tattoo in the bunch!

I spent some time looking over the booths, catching up with old friends that I had not seen in what seems like forever....yes, all in all a great way to spend a few hours on a rainy, drizzly great day.

If you haven't already checked it out, stop in tomorrow!

The Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest is on from 10 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. at Evergreen Park's Entrec Centre!

Visit my Facebook Page to see the photos of all the tattoos, vendor booths etc!

Have a great Saturday evening folks!

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Writer

Wheels for Our Wounded - what is it?

What is Wheels for Our Wounded?

After interviewing a ton of veterans, many who ride, I realized that they were like me.

They suffer from PTSD and find that the focus and concentration it takes to ride a motorcycle/trike truly keeps them living in the present moment and helps abate PTSD symptoms. I know how much my motorcycle helps me with my PTSD and while I may be a civilian, I have also discovered that PTSD, is well, PTSD. It does not matter what trauma caused it, the results and chaos are very similar for all who suffer from it.

I  decided to start this initiative when I realized that veterans and first responders could get funding for service dogs, horse therapy and other types of emotional supports but that no one was validating or funding wind therapy.

Wheels bring freedom and independence into our lives, be they motorcycles, trikes or automobiles.
However, in attempting to get funding, sponsorship and support through traditional channels, I discovered that no one in the mainstream recognizes a motorcycle/trike as a therapy tool.

I was trying to decide what to do with my Defense Fund Poker run.  While I still need to raise about $5,000 to get the nuisance lawsuit from Sturgis North dealt with, I decided to take the day to do something positive for the greater community. I am tired of the political and bureaucratic BS of the BC legal system and I had made a promise to pay forward the help and support I had gotten last year, 10 fold.

One of the many people I spoke with and who helped me to flesh out the over all concept for the Wheels of Our Wounded initiative was Blake Emonns, founder of the Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation. I sit on the advisory board for the motorcycle side of the weekend and as expected, Blake, a veteran who also rides said, "Hey kid, you are on to something here."

The Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation promotes mental health and well being for our allied forces veterans and first responders. As such, they are the ideal foundation to partner with as they can help us select veteran's who need assistance.

In time, we will be rolling out a program that will support veterans and first responders from all of the Allied Forces countries.  The initiative will be rolled out sometime this fall on an international level.

The basics of the initiative will be that riding clubs, associations and veterans and first responder organizations from the Allied countries will be invited to host events in their communities and countries to support the needs of their "local" veterans and first responders.

We will provide them with our country branded merchandise, a best practices manual and advertising and marketing support. All profits from the sales of the nationalized merchandise will go towards helping a veteran or first responder of that country.

We have many details to hammer out like having a process whereby veterans and first responders in need can be nominated for help. A selection committee to help the Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation and ours select which people we can assist each year and so on.
And a way for communities to have th funds they raise go to a specific veteran or first responder of their choosing.

We will be working on all of those details and more over the summer and fall.

In the meantime, our very first Wheels for Our Wounded function on May 30th in Nisku Alberta at Blackjacks Roadhouse.

I am thrilled to say that the event has taken on a life of its own!
We have the Royal Canadian Legion Riders headed up by Dana and Shelley Boyce, the Northern Gateway Motorcycle Association from Slave Lake and a whole host of volunteers supporting this event!

We have identified the first veteran that we are going to be helping! That veteran's name will be secret until the bike is presented in Chilliwack at the Wounded Warriors Weekend gala.

Mountain view Harley-Davidson had given us a KICK ass deal on a motorcycle, and Harley-Davidson of Edmonton has agreed to kit the veteran out with new riding gear.

Our event just happens to coincide with when Kate MacEachern's walk for PTSD awareness called "The Long Way Home"  will be in Edmonton and so I called Kate and asked her if she'd be our guest of honour and that told her that we'd donate 25% of everything we raise at our event to her walk!

Here is a video that explains who Kate is and what the walk she is undertaking represents:

AND BY THE WAY - SHE SAID YES!

After our volunteer meeting the other night we found out that the band we were hoping to get couldn't attend and so just for the heck of it I picked up the phone and called JP Cormier, singer and songwriter of the hit song "Hometown Battlefield" and the man who wrote the song "The Long Way Home" to commemorate Kate's Walk and guess what - HE SAID YES!

Here is the song, Hometown Battlefield:

Our poker run is going to be a blast!
We will begin at Blackjacks Roadhouse and we will be setting up stops at the Kipnes Veterans Centre where the UN Nato is having their show 'n' shine, so after getting their card, riders will be able to spend some time looking at great rides and talking to other riders!

Another stop will be at the Valour House where the Military Tribute truck will be for their annual bottle drive.  Again riders will have the opportunity to spend some time at Valour House.

Another stop will be at Edmonton Harley-Davidson. There will be a BBQ and potentially a sidewalk sale. Proceeds from the BBQ will be going to Kate's walk.

We will have vendors (we have some tents being provided by Blackjacks Roadhouse 2 - 20 x 20 and on 10 x 20), entertainment, silent auction and so much more!

Oh and on Sunday, we will have a Riders Breakfast at Blackjack's where will send Kate off on her trek to Calgary!

We'll have a poster and web site by Monday or Tuesday of next week and will get all the information to you as soon as we can! Oh Yeah - this is going to be a $2,500 Poker Run!  The winning hand will win a duffle bag filled with $2,500 in Gift Certificates and products but as I said, we will reveal all next week!

In the meantime I want to share with you our Logo and the meaning behind it.

The motorcycle engine represents the community that this initiative started in - the riding community and it is the heart if you will of this initiative.  The wheel represents the freedom and independence that transportation brings. The wings represent how our soldiers and first responders are the wind beneath our wings and how their actions, their bravery and courage make us all want to be better people.

That's what Wheels for Our Wounded is all about and I hope you will join us in helping a veteran or first responder gain the freedom and independence they need and deserve. You will be able to buy our gear on line shortly!

If you are blessed to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you!

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider


Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

A Response from WestJet (NOT COOL) & an Update on Joan Krenning

Well, I got my response from WestJet regarding the flight attendant who threatened to remove me off a flight in Cancun as a security threat if I did not comply with his "orders".

Read about my Not so WestJet, Westjet experience - click here

Read the first update - click here

Here is the email I got from Tyson Matheson, the VP of Inflight, copied in it was Lauri Feser, the investigator I spoke with.

Dear Ms. Charbonneau

I have been working with Lauri Feser to follow up on the complaint you made about your interaction with a WestJet flight attendant on your return to Canada from Mexico in March.

WestJet does not support or condone the type of behavior you reported. WestJet prides itself on providing a positive and caring guest experience while maintaining the highest levels of safety. Accordingly, we investigate when we receive reports of guest experiences that appear to fall well below those standards with the goal of addressing any problems and ensuring that any necessary corrective measures are taken.

I would like to re-assure you that we have taken this situation seriously and have conducted an investigation into your complaint.

We acknowledge that you had a negative experience with us and accordingly please accept our sincerest apology on behalf of the Inflight leadership team at WestJet.

Tyson Matheson
Vice President, Inflight

So, I emailed this Mr. Matheson along with Lauri Feser (investigator, customer satisfaction) back:

Thank you Tyson, Lauri

I appreciate the acknowledgement of the issue, now I want to know what the resolution is and if I will get the apology I have requested or whether I should file charges for bullying and abuse of authority with the RCMP in order to get some serious resolution.

This type of situation is about far more than a customer service experience.

The man was a blatant bully and basically if I didn't shut up I was going to spend who knows how long in a Mexican jail.

That is abuse of authority. The threats were real and I feared for my safety and that of my husband who has MS.

As I expressed to Lauri, WestJet's policy regarding apologies needs to change as this is about ACCOUNTABILITY.

So, where does this go from here?
Thanks

And I got this response back:

I’m sorry to hear that you don’t find our response satisfactory. We have investigated the situation and followed-up with the individuals involved. Therefore, WestJet does consider this matter closed.

Regards,
Tyson

I have emailed both Lauri and Tyson back asking for the employee ID number for the flight attendant, we'll see if I get it or if I have to have a lawyer get it for me.

At the end of the day, people in positions of authority need to be held accountable just like anyone else. I was advocating for myself and my husband to get the seats we paid for. My husband has MS, the extra room is important to his well being when he flies. 

I am advocating for change in WestJet's policy of not informing a person what corrective measures have been taken and not offering apologies from employees who conduct themselves in an inappropriate way that abuses their authority.

WestJet employees are owners and as such, they should be held accountable for their conduct and actions, perhaps more so than employees who are members of unions. OWNERS need to be responsible!

It is depressing to think that one is at the mercy of a flight attendant that is having a bad day, it is frightening to have your safety threatened by that same employee, after all you are held captive so to speak. Much in the same way, it is depressing and scary to think that a police officer having a bad day has you at his/mercy and can threaten you in a way that few others could. By that I mean the prospect of going to jail even if you are attempting to be reasonable, or having an officer treat you as less than because you are female. I have had both of those types of experiences with police officers (RCMP) and I have gotten letters of apology and information on corrective measures.

What makes WestJet or any airline think they shouldn't have to provide a more personal resolution than: "We are sorry as a company".... 

Being threatened with being removed from a flight in a foreign country like Mexico and potentially having to spend time in a Mexican jail is a terrifying thing to have to contemplate.

There are signs everywhere in this world of ours, including the jetways of most major airlines that state that employees do not have to put up with belligerent or rude people.

So where are the consumer signs that protect us from employees who are rude and bully people?

I am unsure of what I will do next, but I will be dealing with this situation in a broader way at some point in the future. I will need time to do investigations on what step next to take.


UPDATE - this just in from WestJet:

Dear Ms. Charbonneau,

I have been forwarded a copy of your email exchanges with Lauri Feser, Vice President, Marketing and Promotions, and Tyson Matheson, Vice President, Inflight and Learning and Development.

As Ms. Feser and Mr. Matheson have previously advised, WestJet takes its guests’ complaints seriously and conducted an investigation into the concerns you raised. WestJet ultimately determined that no further action was required. 

While we acknowledge that you have a different view of events and we apologize for the negative guest experience you perceived, we must respectfully disagree with your assertion that WestJet or its employees have in any way treated you in a manner that gives rise to criminal charges or civil liability.

Accordingly, while we appreciate this matter continues to be of concern to you, we will not be presenting any employees or information to you as you have demanded.  Additionally, should you seek to institute legal proceedings, whether criminal or civil,  against WestJet or its employees as you have threatened, we will vigorously defend any such proceedings.  

In any event, we once again confirm that we consider this matter closed.

Jeff Landmann

Legal Counsel

WestJet Airlines| 403-539-7449 | jlandmann@westjet.com

22 Aerial Place NE, Calgary, AB T2E 3J1

And my response to the lawyers letter:
To all concerned,

I am deeply offended by the email below.

Now I am being told, contrary to the earlier email from Tyson Matheson of today, that WestJet acknowledged a bad experience, now you don't.

Where in my email did I threaten to take WestJet to task?  This is an issue between myself, my husband and the flight attendant that bullied me and used his authority in an inappropriate manner. I took the situation to the company to resolve and it has not been resolved in a way that has any meaning to improving customer service and personal safety of its passengers.

My only recourse was to see if I can have the flight attendant charged. If I was in any other public situation it would be my right to have the RCMP talk to someone who had bullied me in any other threatening situation.

But, I guess that as a citizen, a taxpayer and a paying customer, I am now supposed to accept the abuse of authority and bullying that I experienced because you don't want to give me the employee's ID Number.  I guess I should have gone straight to the RCMP to lay my complaint right at the airport. 

I should never have trusted that there would be a true resolution. I feel lied to and betrayed.

All I ever wanted was a simple apology, an acknowledgement from my bully that his behaviour was out of line.

There is no way that a customer should have to take abuse from an employee.  An Employee doesn't have to take it - the signs everywhere say it - but no where does anyone advocate for the consumer.

Airlines in Canada have a monopoly and we northern consumers have very little options and no one to defend us when something unfair transpires.

Sign me 

Another customer whipped into shape by bullying tactics!

And so ends the fight for customer service or customer rights.

Now I want to update you all on the series of articles about Joan Krenning, the founder of the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit.

I have been getting a number of emails from people who have had interactions with Joan in the last 2 years.

Some of these communications include some claims that are going to take some time to verify.
Once I have verified the claims and have had some time to get some writing done, I will be publishing another follow up.

In the meantime, the web site upgrade of www.beltdrivebetty.com is progressing nicely!

It's been a tough one, but I am so glad we are in the new hosting environment we are and that we have so many upgraded tools coming on stream!

If you are blessed to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and consider dressing for the slide and not the ride!

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider



Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

Are you really ready for riding season?

Right across this magnificent country called Canada, spring is attempting to land.

We riders are twitching with anticipation.

Some of us have gotten out for our first brain clearer of the season, others have been riding almost all year (Vancouver Island) and yet others are still buried in snow.

The anticipation that longer days bring, the viewing of photos of others who have been able to ride make a person even more twitchy and anxious.

Everyone says they are ready to ride, but, are you, really?

Beyond having your motorcycle checked over; lights, oil, seals, bearings, tires, brakes, cables etc...

Are YOU REALLY ready for riding season?

Have you looked your gear over? Is your helmet ready to be replaced?
Are your gloves, boots and jacket, pants or chaps in good repair?
How about your rain gear? Heated gear?

And what about your first aid kit?

I can't tell you how many riders I have met that do not carry a first aid kit.
I have always carried one. You just never know when it might come in handy.


I was given a first aid kit by the Hotel Port Aux Basque in Port Aux Basque Newfoundland two years ago as a gift, it came with my room.
Carol, the hotel owner loves her motorcycle customers and wants them to be safe.

I went through my old one, kept a few things that were still good and might come in handy and decided that the one Carol graced me with was better than the one I had and so it is now the centre piece of my larger kit.

Like my bike, my first aid kit is something that I go through at the beginning of riding season to ensure that everything is still useable and not expired.

The first aid kit that the Hotel Port Aux Basque gave me has alcohol swabs (replaced with fresh ones every year), rubber gloves, scissors, tweezers, band aides of various sizes, gauze, tape, iodine swabs, pins and an emergency response card that guides you through the basics of emergency care.

I added to that kit by adding a small bottle of Polysporin, Advil, eye drops, Reactine, more Bug Bite after care, extra hand sanitizer, Rub A535 and some ice rub, some emu oil which is also great for burns, after sun care as well as some prescription pain killers that I had left over from a dental procedure.  I also added a small folding knife/saw blade and some good nail clippers.  (the folding saw blade and knife is great if you need to make a splint)
Aside from that I also carry a foil blanket.

I put the first aid kit and the extras I carry into a small RED "lunch bag" that I bought at the dollar store and marked First Aid on it.  I keep that handy in my top box and I put it in the same spot all the time so that I always know where it is.  I also generally keep a few granola bars with jam in them and a bottle of water in the top box. This gives me some sugar to prevent/reduce shock and water to rinse wounds with.

I have had to use my first aid kit several times, once when friend burned his leg on his pipes moving his bike in his camping spot, another time a friend got something in their eye and then there was my crash in Ireland where it was also put to good use. Several times I have dolled out band aids and or gauze pads.

All of the gear I just described takes up a very tiny amount of room on my bike and I feel better knowing I have some tools to help myself or someone else should the need ever arise.

Are you prepared?

Do you carry a first aid kit?  If not, how come?

If so, what do you include in your kit?

Have a great day everyone and if you are blessed to be riding, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can ot see you.

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider





Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

The law, legalities and a serious question that needs to be asked!

As many of you know, I had a recent experience with a WestJet flight attendant, that was anything but a WestJet experience.  Read the article - click here.

As a result of lodging my complaint, not only did the VP of the company Clive Beddoe have the VP of Customer Service, Bob Cummings contact me, but Mr. Cummings ensured that a gal named Lauri Feser got in touch with me.

Lauri is an investigator with WestJet, meaning that she talks to the inflight team, the other passengers, etc., and after she has gathered the required information, she will be getting in touch with me regarding the outcome. This is breaking with their usual tradition of not informing the consumer as to the outcomes of situations.

In the meantime, my husband and I were given a cash refund to his credit card for the portion of our round trip flight where we did not get what we paid for. The traditional response is one of not refunding to credit cards.

We were also given $400 each in WestJet dollars as opposed to the traditional $100 per person offering.

I have been discussing with Lauri, the policy where in WestJet does not generally provide letters of apology from employees and am hoping that the accountability factor that apology letters hold will be considered by WestJet.  When a situation as over the top as ours was, happens, an apology not just from the company but by the person who abused their authority and bullied me.

All a person can do is advocate for change and transparency against policies that are truly not in the favour of the consumer.

I have been advocating on behalf of all WestJet customers, as I believe there are certain times when ONLY a letter of apology will do to resolve an issue and that customers are entitled to be treated with dignity and fairness.  If that's the way employees need to be treated, as signs everywhere attest to, then where should customers be treated any differently?

I won't tolerate an abuse of authority or the bullying treatment I received and neither should any customer. (Bullying and threats are against the law)

I urge you, if you have a bad customer service experience to talk to the business owner/manager.

Don't just shrug your shoulders and accept poor service or treatment when you have paid for said service!  Owners/managers cannot fix what they don't know is broken.  You are potentially helping the owner to identify a problem employee or one who needs some training, you are helping other customers and hopefully yourself too!

There is no need to get hostile or accusatory, you just need to state the facts. If you approach the situation with some recommendations or suggestions, you might also find that real dialogue happens and everyone comes away better for it.

Please, advocate for great customer service by ensuring kudos are given when due, that is vitally important to do.

But you also need to speak up when things are less than stellar.
We get the service we allow people to foist on us.

Let's make them want to give/deliver their best our way!

I look forward to having a final resolution on  the WestJet situation soon and will share it when I do!

In Other news - I got duped by a Satirical Post on a fake Washington Post Web Site - thanks to a reader who caught that the web address was wrong!  Apparently I am not alone!

Oh well, some days I need to drink more coffee so that I am more awake when I write about something!

Have a great day everyone and please remember that if you live where you can be riding - ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you!

Please ride safe!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

My not so WestJet, customer service experience.

Here in Canada we have two major airlines, Air Canada and WestJet.  If you live in the north of Alberta, unless you drive to Edmonton or Calgary, you are limited in your flight options.

We chose to fly with WestJet and had booked flights for our vacation on line.  We did not go through a travel agent as we are members of the Palace Elite Vacation Club and get incredible rates on our all inclusive resorts so why pay an agency fee!

Our flight down was awesome and I expected the same for our return trip.

On March 17th, the day before our departure home, I did our online check in to print our boarding passes and check on our flights status about mid day.

On the morning of March 18th, my husband and I, along with some friends checked out of our rooms at Isla Mujeres Palace at 7 am. We arrived 3 hours early to the airport as required. Our flight 2213 was supposed to leave Cancun at 11:40 am. Well, it got delayed, first by 2 hrs, then three, then five and then 9 and a half hours.

Apparently a storm in Halifax was the reason.
We had not known our plane was coming from Halifax or about the storm there.
We had not been watching the news at all - WE WERE ON VACATION!

Once the flight was pushed back by 9.5 hours, we called to our resort and they made arrangements for our group of 4 to spend time at their sister resort, the Moon Palace in Cancun. They even paid our taxi there and back!

All day long we checked the flight boards at the resort. 

We also checked our emails and called the airport a couple of times to ensure we were in the know.

When we called the airport at 5 pm, for the last time, we were told the flight was still leaving at 9:30 pm.

We then called guest relations to see what was going to happen in Edmonton because we would obviously be missing our connecting flight.

This is when the first disturbing thing transpired. The agent whose name I don't know because the gal at the resort who called for us, did not give me the name and I never thought to ask his name when I spoke to him, told me that our flight had been changed and the we were supposed to leave at 6:30 on a flight to Kelowna and that they had sent us all emails.

None of us got emails. In fact, I checked again today (March 20th) just to be sure and still NO EMAILS!

After being on hold for over 20 minutes, while the agent went to look into things, we decided to simply hop in a cab and head to the airport and I hung up without getting anywhere with guest relations. We checked in at the desk and there was no mention of us being re routed through Kelowna. We asked about what would happen in Edmonton and were told we'd have a room and not to worry but that we'd best head through security soon.

We headed to security and while they held us up saying we should have already been gone, they finally let us go to the boarding area when they found out our flight had been delayed.

At 9:30 pm we finally began to board the plane.

My husband and I along with our friends waited to be among the last to board as we were up front in Plus seats. As we went towards the cabin down the jetway, my husband says: "Yeah! We are finally on our way home" and this male steward made a rude comment about how his days off were screwed up because of this situation. He was very angry and had nasty tone of voice.

He had 64 passengers whose lives have been equally disrupted but he could only focus on how his life had been inconvenienced. That disturbed me greatly, but I said nothing, just shook my head.

As my husband and I turned to enter the cabin and go to our seats, we discover two other people in our seats.

They had boarding passes for the same seat numbers! OH GREAT. Now what?

The male steward puts us in two other Plus seats, but then the people those seats belonged to came aboard and we were moved to coach.

When I voiced that these were not the seats we had paid for, I was told by David, the male steward that we would still get plus services, I expressed that plus is about more than meals, it's about leg room. I got told if I didn't like it, I could always leave the plane. I was flabbergasted. The lady whose seat we had to vacate, exclaimed that she felt he was out of line and the comment totally inappropriate but when asked later, she would not step up to actually file a statement. She just didn't want to get involved. I hope she never needs someone to step up and help her right a wrong against herself!

The captain addressed all of us passengers and he told us he appreciated all of us being patient and that it had been a rough day for all concerned. He expressed he didn't really know what caused the delay but that it was probably costing WestJet between 25 and 35 thousand dollars. I took that comment as his way of saying that everyone, including the company was paying a heavy price because, I thought at this time the company was going to be putting we connecting flight passengers, up in a hotel.

After the captain's speech, I asked the female stewardess, Marylin for the steward's first and last name as I was documenting what happened a got told "we don't give out last names." She asked why I wanted to know and so I explained to her our situation.

She asked for our boarding passes and then went and talked to David who then became livid and came to our seats. He grilled me about why I wanted his name and wouldn't let me answer him, he just kept over talking me.

He went straight to jerk mode and told me that he, David, had 54 other customers whose safety he was in charge of and that if I didn't quit disturbing the other passengers with my complaints, I would be removed from the plane as a security threat. At that moment I knew I was dealing with a bully.

Not wishing to be removed from the plane I agreed to not speak of our situation again and behave like a good little girl so that David would allow me to stay on the plane.

When I found out he would be in charge of serving our part of the cabin, I talked to Marylin again and expressed I had no desire to have this man serve me after the way he had spoken to me, she told me to press the call button and she or the other female stewardess would assist me.

Well, when I needed something I did this, only to have David start coming down the aisle, I shut the light off and turned my back to him. He went back up front. I then put the light on again and Marylin served me.

For the rest of the flight, whenever David came down the aisle for any reason, I just turned my back to him and would not interact with him in any way.

I pointed out our tv's weren't working and Marylin said she'd have them looked at but at no point did anyone offer to move us to any of the other vacant seats and I did not dare ask to be moved for fear of reprisals from David.

I cried pretty much the whole way to Edmonton I was that insulted, frustrated and tired.
I truly felt violated as a customer and so did my husband.

Now the reason we booked plus seats, in spite of what I feel is an outrageous price, is that my husband has MS and the little bit of extra room that Plus seating offers is something his body well and truly appreciates.

While we were still at the terminal in Cancun, there had been a problem with the manifest. There were 64 passengers on board but only paperwork on 54. Well, after about a further half hour delay, David chewed on the poor gate agent, he had spoken to her like she was a dog. I felt so bad for her and many commented on it but again, no one wanted to step up to report his behaviour.

The bully had spoken vocally and notice was taken by most passengers who had no desire to get tossed off the plane.

At the end of the flight, we waited until pretty much everyone was of the plane and my husband went to talk to David and with his Frenchman's hands going he told David he would not tolerate the way he had spoken to his wife...me.

Immediately David went on the offensive and I grabbed my husband and told him we weren't going to get anywhere this way and let's wait for the captain. We spoke with Captain Eric Grossman and he told us to ensure his name was registered in the complaint that he recommended we file.

When we got through customs, we could not get anyone to truly help us or give us the hotel room we were promised would be waiting for us by the agent in Cancun. We were told that because the delay was weather related there would be no hotel help from WestJet and that Cancun had no right to tell us otherwise.  We were told that although we bought trip cancellation and interruption insurance with our flight, it is third party run and they - the WestJet staff refused to help us. We had no idea what the process was supposed to be as we'd never used this insurance before. It is something I intend to fully investigate and learn about for future trips. I am totally disappointed however that WestJet personnel do not know anything about a product that WestJet sells through their site while booking online.

Although we did not want to fly home from Edmonton to Grande Prairie with WestJet, we could not find a car rental agency that would do a one way rental. Our only options were fly with WestJet or Air Canada. That meant either waiting at the airport until 1:30pm to go out with WestJet, this was now 6 am, OR spending more money with the other carrier and being left out of pocket. 

Neither option was terribly appealing.

After speaking to a customer care agent named Suzette on the phone, she helped me lodge my complaint and she got us on an earlier flight than the 1:30 pm one that had been presented to us as our only option to fly home, by the WestJet agents who met our flight earlier in the morning.

The rest of our trip was pleasant from that point.

At around 3pm a gal from the WestJet Customer care team who called to discuss the situation said we wouldn't get an apology from the steward and we'd never know the discipline if any that would take place.

She offered a company letter of apology, but that does not hold the flight attendant responsible and I expressed that that was not satisfactory to me in any way shape or form.

She told me their standard policy is to offer customers $100 WestJet dollars for each of us but felt that that was to low given the situation.  I was asking for a refund from the difference between coach and Plus for the leg of the trip we had been short changed on..

So she then offered me 250 dollar per person flight credit and I told her that was an insult after all we had gone through. I again told her I wanted a refund to my husbands credit card. She said the don't generally do that but she'd see what she could do and so I waited for her to find out.

She came back with an offer of $215 per person refund or a four hundred dollar per person flight credit (WestJet dollars)...so either $430 refund or $800 in flight credits....I am not sure yet how I feel about that considering we paid $2,942 for the round trip flights and were told that we had paid for the middle of the road Plus fare!  

I told her I was too tired to think anymore and I would consider my option after a good nights sleep.  At this point I was working on 40 hours with no sleep.

Shortly after that conversation, I got a call from the Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience, Bob Cummings. He called me because of an email that I had sent to the company VP Clive Beddoe. Hope Lexa on Facebook had reached out to me and gave me his email address and told me to contact Clive and that I would get results for sure.

After speaking with Mr. Cummings, who promised me he would call back next week after having this situation investigated, I feel much better about WestJet, but am still skeptical about what the refund/compensation/resolution will finally look like.  The current standard company policies make a customer feel like they really have to fight to get appropriate compensation/resolution but I feel like Mr. Cummings truly heard my concerns.

At the end of the day if I can get a letter of apology from an RCMP officer over his conduct and the way he spoke to me. Why should I not be able to get one from the employee at WestJet?

If I can be told what discipline an RCMP officer is going to receive then why can't I be told of the same regarding a WestJet employee, especially in a situation that is as over the top as this one is?

I am advocating for all passengers that might find themselves experiencing this kind of deplorable treatment - the standard rules need to change! There needs to be personal accountability! Apology letters and certain disciplinary information should be deliverable and it is absolutely wrong that it is not!

This saga is not over, and I intend to keep you informed of my experience and how this turns out, so that if you ever find yourself in the position of having to advocate to get what you paid for and and ever feel you are owed an apology from an employee, you will know what your chances of any kind of real resolution are!

I look forward to sharing with you a bit about my Mexican vacation tomorrow!

Have a great day and is you are fortunate to live where you can be riding, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider



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