Aaron Judge Broke The WestJet Logo At The Blue Jays Game & The Irony Is Too Much (VIDEO)
WestJet pilots are headed for a possible strike.
The broken WestJet logo at Rogers Centre. Right: New York Yankees star Aaron Judge after hitting a home run.
Layers of controversy and irony collided at Rogers Centre Tuesday night as the Toronto Blue Jays faced off against Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees.
The Yankees superstar crushed a home run that went so far, it hit (and broke) the WestJet logo in the WestJet flight deck at centre field, and the timing of it wasn't lost on anyone.
WestJet pilots are currently headed for a possible strike over the May long weekend, which could impact thousands of flights and leave travellers stranded without much notice.
In a travel advisory posted to its website, WestJet has offered all passengers flying between May 15 and May 21 free cancellations or flight changes but said changing destinations could result in additional charges.
"We know our guests have concerns about the ongoing labour negotiations between WestJet and our pilot’s union, and a potential disruption to your travel plans is frustrating," the airline said in a statement.
Frustration turned to damage Tuesday night, thanks to this Judge home run at Rogers Centre.
\u201cAaron Judge is literally doing damage.\u201d— MLB (@MLB) 1684292016
"Oh, he broke the maple leaf," a Yankees commentator can be heard saying in a video posted to Twiter by MLB with the caption, "Aaron Judge is literally doing damage."
"Ironically he hits the WestJet logo and WestJet pilots are about to go on a massive strike," one person commented, while another joked, "Judge not a fan of the strike notice. 😤"
Of course, travellers aren't either.
Ahead of a long weekend of uncertainty, a strike notice issued by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) leaves a work stoppage possible as early as May 19.
\u201cToday the WestJet Pilots MEC issued a 72 hours strike notice. If no progress is made, we could withdraw our services at 0300 MT May 19th, 2023. Our negotiating committee remains available 24/7 to reach a deal.\n\n#showusafuture #weareready #willstrikeifprovoked #countdown\u201d— WestJet ALPA Pilots (@WestJet ALPA Pilots) 1684203935
In a recent Tweet regarding the strike, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech wrote, "We want to arrive at a reasonable deal with our pilot union, avoid labour action, and protect guest travel!"
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) has advised travellers to keep in touch with updates from WestJet as much as possible.
"As Friday’s deadline approaches, we remind passengers to check their flight's status and please do not come to the airport if your flight is cancelled," said a spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) in a statement to Narcity. "For information about scheduled WestJet flights, please reach out to the airline directly via westjet.com."
Only time will tell now if Judge breaking the WestJet logo at Rogers Centre Tuesday was the bad omen it appeared to be.
Meanwhile, one of Westjet's competitors has tried to take advantage of this situation.
Flair Airlines has launched a promotion on the front page of its website with the slogan, "Don't strike out your long weekend," and has added more flights between May 19 and May 22, particularly in Western Canada, with fares starting as low as $99.