WestJet apologizes to Elder after agent denies access to his flight despite valid identification

A First Nations Elder says he wasn’t allowed to board a domestic flight home from Quebec after a WestJet agent misread his valid Indian Status Card. Lawrence Douglas Corbiere, 69, says the experience left him feeling scared to travel alone after the Winnipeg man realized he was stranded in a city unfamiliar to him. “I didn’t know what to do. I was getting kind of fearful,” says Corbiere. “I don’t know nobody in Montreal and I was starting to cry, almost, on the inside.” Corbiere recently went to the primarily French-speaking province to attend a religious gathering so he could connect with others through worship. He says it was a great trip, until he tried to go back home alone. Corbiere tried to board his WestJet flight using his Indian Status Card, a legally acceptable piece of identification for domestic travel. He says he had no problem at the start of his trip when producing the identification to airline agents, which APTN News verified expires in February 2029. Corbiere says the WestJet agent in Montreal was incorrectly looking at the issue date for the card instead of the expiration date, but she wouldn’t listen to him and told him to step aside. “It was getting kind of late, the plane was about ready to take off, so all the others were getting ready to go through… I just stayed [off to the side]” says Corbiere, adding that when he went to re-approach the agent, she was already closing the gate. WestJet ended up putting Corbiere in a hotel near the airport and booked him a new flight for the next evening. Corbiere holding the status card that was rejected by a WestJet agent. Photo: Sav Jonsa/APTN. While he is thankful he didn’t have to sleep in the terminal, Corbiere says that all the walking through the airport and to his hotel caused him a lot of pain as an elderly person who has health complications in his legs due to diabetes. He was out of his diabetes medication at the time as well, something he was unable to refill until he was back in his home city. “That was pretty hard for me.” Corbiere says WestJet no longer had an issue with his Indian Status Card when boarding the following day and wishes he could have been home sooner like he planned. He hopes all airlines improve their staff’s knowledge on acceptable identification, and the different needs Elders may have. In an emailed statement to APTN, WestJet says they have since apologized to Corbiere. WestJet says, in part, that they train their staff on acceptable forms of ID and will ensure any third-party service partners prioritize proper training as well. “WestJet will also be reimbursing any out-of-pocket expenses associated with this travel disruption and offering compensation to Elder Corbiere as a gesture of goodwill.” Corbiere says he will stick with Air Canada for all of his flying needs. Continue Reading