A passenger on a recent WestJet flight is sharing his unpleasant experience after an item allegedly fell out of the overhead bins and hit him in the head, resulting in a gash that caused him to bleed “profusely.”
Kent Chambers was flying from Toronto to Winnipeg for business on March 17 on WestJet flight 585 when he says a metal cylindrical tube holding what he believed to be a projector screen fell out of the overhead bin after a flight attendant had opened it.
Chambers, who had fallen asleep on the early morning flight, said he was startled after the tube “landed on [his] head.”
Getting stitches in Winnipeg’s after stewardess negligence on a @WestJet flight.
Bag came out of the overhead compartment mid flight, while I was sleeping.
I bled profusely.
Won’t fly with @WestJet again.
— Kent Chambers (@chambers867) March 18, 2024
He said the flight staff offered him supplies to clean up the wound, and he filled out a report to document the incident.
“They offered to have me checked out by some people when the plane landed, but I really just wanted to get out of there,” Chambers said, noting that he did not take the airline up on receiving medical attention upon landing.
When Chambers arrived at his Airbnb, he said it became evident that he needed to get the injury checked out.
He went to St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg and waited about ten hours in the emergency room before deciding he couldn’t wait any longer.
Kent Chambers/ X
He returned to his Airbnb and rebandaged the wound, and “thankfully, it healed.”
Chambers said the entire ordeal “completely affected [his] business travel” as he was in Winnipeg for three days to meet with clients.
Aside from the inconvenience he experienced, Chambers expressed frustration with WestJet’s initial response.
“I was hoping they would have been like, ‘Hey… don’t worry about it. This one’s on us.’ But it’s an airline. They’ll never do that,” he said.
Chambers said he still has hesitancies flying with the airline.
“Besides the actual physical implications of it all, I don’t enjoy flying anymore, especially if I sit on that aisle seat, because I fear that I’m going to be woken up by something hitting me in the head. I know the likelihood of that happening is small, but I mean, it happened to me,” he shared.
WestJet finally responds
Chambers contacted WestJet to follow up on the incident on X. The airline requested he send over his reservation number, which he did. He did not hear back for weeks.
That is until April 5 — a few hours after Daily Hive reached out to WestJet for comment about the incident.
The airline sent Chambers an email to apologize and offered him 200 WestJet Dollars to be used on a future flight. On its website, the company says that one WestJet dollar is equivalent to one Canadian dollar when redeemed on the base fare portion of an eligible flight or vacation package.
“We will be following up with our Inflight Management Team to ensure we relay the importance of safety when opening overhead bins,” read the email Chambers received from WestJet.
In a statement to Daily Hive, WestJet said it “sincerely apologize(s)” for the incident and the “discomfort” Chambers experienced during his flight.
“Ensuring the well-being and safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority and therefore, we take any health-related concerns very seriously,” said a spokesperson.
“While unexpected events can occur while travelling, maintaining a safe environment for all guests and crew members is paramount.”
Paid option to access overhead bin space
The airline has seen some criticism this week for introducing a paid seat option that allows customers early access to overhead bin space.
WestJet said its “Extended Comfort” economy option will allow customers several “perks” including:
- Seats with extra legroom (three to six inches)
- Priority boarding (Zone 2)
- Early access to overhead bin space
- Quicker exit upon arrival
- A distinct section at the front of the Economy cabin
- A complimentary alcoholic beverage during inflight service (based on flight duration, aircraft type and destination)
But just like any upgrade, the new seat option comes with a fee. According to a WestJet spokesperson, Extended Comfort prices will start at $30 but can vary based on origin and destination, fare bundle purchased, date of travel and seat location.
Canadians shared their thoughts about the new Extended Comfort online, with some calling out the airline for “continuing to gouge” customers.
In a previous statement to Daily Hive regarding the Extended Comfort option, WestJet said the decision “ensures Canadians are empowered to pick a travel option that best aligns with their travel requirements and budget.”
With files from Isabelle Docto