Air Canada apologises to 2 passengers kicked off flight for refusing to sit in vomit-covered seats
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The airline issued an apology to the two women “as they clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled”.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Two passengers were about to settle into their seats for a five-hour flight from Las Vegas to Montreal on Aug 26, only to discover that the chairs were covered in vomit left behind from a previous flight.
They complained to a flight attendant but were, instead, escorted off the plane by security.
Now, Air Canada has issued an apology to the two women involved in the incident, according to news reports this week.
The two women and a man were “struggling to get seated” on Flight AC 1706, wrote Ms Susan Benson in a lengthy Facebook post on Aug 29. She was seated in the row behind them.
“There was a bit of a foul smell but we didn’t know at first what the problem was,” Ms Benson wrote.
“Apparently, on the previous flight, someone had vomited in that area. Air Canada attempted a quick cleanup before boarding but clearly wasn’t able to do a thorough clean.”
The airline placed coffee grounds in the seat pouch and sprayed perfume to “mask the smell” of the vomit, added Ms Benson.
The passengers told a flight attendant that the “seat and seat belt were wet”, and there was still “visible vomit residue in their area”.
The flight attendant, who was “very apologetic”, told them repeatedly there was nothing that could be done as the flight was full.
The passengers argued back and forth for a few minutes with the flight attendant, before her supervisor was roped into the conversation, added Ms Benson.
However, her supervisor echoed what the flight attendant said: “We are sorry, but you have to, it’s a full flight and there are no other seats available.”
The passengers were later given blankets, wipes and vomit bags “reluctantly” after they requested the items to clean the area themselves.
However, after they were settled in their seats, a pilot came down the aisle and told the passengers they had two choices: They could leave the plane on their own accord and organise their new flights at their own cost, or they could be escorted off the plane by security and placed on a no-fly list.
“When they asked why, he said they were rude to the flight attendant. They were certainly not! They were upset and firm, but not rude!” wrote Ms Benson.
Although the male passenger in the same row tried to explain the situation to the pilot, the women were escorted off the plane.
“Next thing we know, security comes down the aisle and escorted the two ladies off the plane! For what? Refusing to sit in vomit for five hours!” wrote Ms Benson.
In a statement to CNN, Air Canada said the airline had issued an apology to the customers “as they clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled”.
“We are reviewing this serious matter internally and have followed up with the customers directly as our operating procedures were not followed correctly in this instance,” said the airline.
“We remain in contact with them about this matter.”
In recent months, passengers have encountered other bodily fluids on flights.
Last week, a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Barcelona was forced to turn around
In July, a journalist on an Air France flight had to endure the smell of rotting blood mixed with traces of faeces.
