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A father is planning on taking legal action against WestJet, after his two children were stranded at Kelowna International Airport on Christmas Eve.
Joey Kohinski claims WestJet offered no assistance when they were informed that a 12 and 13 year-old were by themselves at the airport stranded after their connecting flight was cancelled.
The pair were flying to Victoria, connecting through Kelowna, from Edmonton where they were spending time with him for the holidays.
"When I spoke to my daughter and confirmed that it was cancelled I Facetimed her and told her to go speak with a WestJet staff and let them know that they are by themselves. They were alone at [YLW] for several hours."
Kohinski says the staff member told him there was not much they could do.
"They said that they could not provide them a hotel voucher, even a food voucher or anything like that. I said they are minors and we have no family or friends in the area. Then they said they could stay in the airport and a commissionaire can periodically check up on them."
Kohinski said he was unsure at that point when there would be another flight out of Kelowna due to an intense winter storm. He felt he had no other choice, so called the RCMP for help.
He says the Mountie who assisted his kids was incredible.
"The officer met up with my kids. I Facetimed him on the phone. He picked them up and took them to the Hampton Inn. He got the front desk to send me a waiver form that I had to sign because they wouldn't take my kids in."
Kohinski says the officer brought the kids candy and pizza because most restaurants were closed.
The kids were picked up by a family-friend on Christmas Day who drove from Vancouver and back and then to the Tsawwassen terminal where they were reunited with their mother.
The father of two believes WestJet should have done more.
"Take some sort of control and care. They totally disregarded that they were alone by themselves. I'm going to be taking some legal action."
Castanet has reached out to WestJet for comment and is awaiting a response.
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