In a shocking showing of neglect and disrespect, two women were forced to exit an Air Canada flight when they protested against taking seats that were drenched in vomit. Another passenger, Susan Benson, on the plane detailed the situation on Facebook. Benson, who hails from New Brunswick, was seated on the row behind the dirty seats on the flight. It was going from Las Vegas to Montreal on August 26th. Needless to say, the post has gone viral since it was posted.
A Horrible Situation And An Even Worse Service From Air Canada
In the viral post, Benson had talked about how she had noticed a bad smell when she was boarding. However, no one knew exactly what the issue was. Later on, they learned that a passenger had vomited in that area during the last flight. So, the staff had tried to attend to it, but it was half-hearted, to say the least. She described: “Air Canada attempted a quick cleanup before boarding but clearly wasn’t able to do a thorough clean. They placed coffee grind in the seat pouch and sprayed perfume to mask the smell.”
In a later interview with CBC News, Benson recalled that the passengers who were supposed to take those seats told the nearest attendant that both the seat and the seatbelt were still wet. What’s more, there was even vomit residue visible. To this, the attendant and one of the supervisors replied with an apology. However, they said the passengers would have to sit in those chairs as no other seats were available on the flight.
This led to a bit of an argument between the two parties. According to Benson, the Air Canada staff eventually agreed to provide vomit bags, wipes, and blankets to the pair of women. They said the pair could try their best to clean up and protect their clothes from the waste. However, the situation soon took an even worse turn.
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The Pilot Stepped In, But The Ending Was Horrible
Soon after this offer, Benson details, a pilot approached the women. The women were apparently traveling to Vienna. Shockingly, the pilot gave them two horrible options. The first was that they could use their money and effort to book a new flight. The second one was that security would escort them off of the plane and place them on a no-fly list.
When the women asked why they were forced to exit, the pilot claimed they were too rude. However, according to Benson, the women were clearly upset, but they were firm and “definitely not rude.” Moreover, a bit later, one of the passengers on a seat beside the pair began to talk in French with the pilot. Unfortunately, Benson does not know the language, so there is no report of the conversation that took place.
However, the talks looked to be successful as the pilot returned. Benson claims to have heard the male fellow passenger tell the two women that he had made a de-escalation attempt. He had also added that they had managed to work it out. However, the issue did not reach a favorable conclusion at all. Soon after, Benson was shocked when she saw security approach the pair and then escort them off the Air Canada flight.
Air Canada’s Response
Benson recalled how shocked and appalled at the course of the events. After the plane landed in Montreal, Benson saw the male passenger go straight to the nearest kiosk for Air Canada. However, she does not know whether it was to file a complaint. Benson also took the opportunity to directly lodge one with Air Canada against the attendants in her flight via a survey. She is yet to get a response.
In fact, Air Canada has not responded directly to the account put forth by Benson. They released a statement on the matter on September 5th, where they claimed that they were reviewing the matter. It also mentioned that the passengers were contacted since “our operating procedures were not followed correctly in this instance. This includes apologizing to these customers, as they clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled, and addressing their concerns.”
Benson, however, found the apology unsatisfactory since it sounded like “a blanket statement […] they have given to every single news outlet.” She believes the pair deserved more than words since it was certainly a disruption on their flights and lives. She also hopes that the crew on that particular Air Canada flight was made aware of their unacceptable behavior.
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Sources
- “Air Canada sorry for booting passengers who refused vomit-soiled seats.” CBC. The Associated Press. September 6, 2023.
- “Air Canada kicks off passengers who refused vomit-smeared seats.” BBC