Some members of an excited group that showed up dancing, drinking and smoking electronic cigarettes without masks aboard a flight to Cancun are now stranded in Mexico after their return flight to Canada was canceled and other airlines refused to take them to House.
The group flew from Montreal to Cancun on December 30, aboard a Sunwing Airlines charter flight for a trip organized by the “exclusive private group” 111 Private Club.
Videos of the on-board party, which show passengers dancing and drinking in the aisles, have caused a rage in Canada. An investigation by Transport Canada is underway, and passengers could face stiff fines or worse.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that he was “extremely frustrated” by the incident.
“It’s a slap in the face to see people putting themselves, putting their fellow citizens, putting airline workers at risk by being completely irresponsible,” Trudeau said in a statement.
In a statement posted on Twitter on Thursday, TripleOne President and Event Organizer James William Awad said he “understands why so many citizens are frustrated with the current situation.”
Awad said he chartered a private plane to “ensure everyone’s safety” and took the additional step of testing passengers for Covid-19 before leaving Montreal.
Sunwing canceled its return flight, which was scheduled for Jan. 5, as the group did not agree to the terms set out, the company said.
Both Air Canada and Air Transat have said they will not take travelers home, citing the safety of other passengers and crew.
Negotiations for the return flight
Sunwing said in a statement that its decision to cancel the group’s flight back to Canada was “based on the group’s refusal to accept all terms and on our security team’s understanding that non-compliance with the rules would be related to its disruptive behavior the previous board”.
The company said it cannot provide specific details due to active investigations, but said it has “developed a robust mitigation plan to return passengers to Montreal, while ensuring the health and safety of crew and travelers.”
The airline launched its own investigation after the initial flight and notified Transport Canada, Sunwing said.
According to Awad’s position, the point of difficulty in his negotiations with the airline about the return flight is the on-board meal service.
He said he had agreed to the clause not to offer alcohol on the flight, and passengers would have to board in “sober condition” and a host of other terms.
“We were unable to conclude an agreement as Sunwing refuses to provide meals for the group on a five-hour flight,” reads Awad’s note.
The company said the passenger behavior was “undisciplined and contradictory to a number of Canadian Aviation regulations as well as public health regulations.
The return flight was canceled to ensure the safety of crew and passengers, the airline said. She also highlighted that she will contribute to Transport Canada’s investigations into the incident.
Awad said 111 Private Club is working to get all travelers home “as soon as possible.”
“This was my first travel event,” he said in a statement. “I learned significantly, and am still learning from that experience.”
Possible fines for passengers
Transport Canada said earlier this week that the department had been in contact with Sunwing and that passengers could face fines of up to C$5,000 (about R$22,000) per offense.
The department also warned that any passenger caught providing false information to the government upon entry into Canada could face hefty fines or imprisonment.
On December 15, Canada issued an advice to its citizens, urging them to avoid all non-essential international travel.
Quebec closed schools, bars, casinos and other public places, and made the home office mandatory on Dec. 20, as cases and hospitalizations for Covid-19 soared.
As of Jan. 5, Canada has registered about 470,000 new Covid-19 cases in the past 14 days, with nearly 180,000 in Quebec alone.
This content was originally created in English.
original version
Reference: CNN Brasil
