Air Canada customers kicked off plane for refusing seat covered in vomit
Air Canada has apologized to customers who were allegedly escorted off a plane for refusing to sit in a vomit-covered chair for the duration of their more than four-hour flight.
The airline released a statement after a viral Facebook post claimed two as yet unidentified female travelers were told there was nothing they could do about visible vomit on their soiled seats.
Susan Benson, a pa*senger on the Aug. 26 flight from Las Vegas to Montreal, said she first noticed the smell of vomit – and that of two women struggling to sit up – when she boarded the plane.
“There was a foul smell but we didn’t know at first what the problem was. Apparently on the previous flight someone had vomited in this area,” Benson wrote. “Air Canada attempted a quick clean before boarding but was obviously unable to do a thorough clean. They put ground coffee in the seat pocket and sprayed perfume to mask the smell.
Benson claimed that when the “clearly upset” pa*sengers told the flight attendant about the visible vomit on their seats, the staff member apologized, but informed them there was nothing they could do.
After a supervisor reiterated that they should sit on the soiled seats, the two women were ‘reluctantly’ provided with blankets, wipes and vomit bags to clean the area themselves, according to Benson .
She claimed that, despite their arguments with the flight attendants, the women were “upset” but “not rude”.
Eventually, the pilot allegedly gave the women two options: leave the plane of their own accord and pay for another flight or be escorted by security and put on a no-fly list. The pilot allegedly cited their rude behavior as the reason for the forced exit.
“The next thing we know is that security came down the aisle and escorted the two ladies off the plane! Benson wrote.
Air Canada said it is conducting an internal review of the incident and said it is in contact with affected customers.
“Our operating procedures were not properly followed in this case,” the airline said in a statement. “It involves apologizing to these clients, as they clearly did not receive the level of care to which they were entitled.”
Benson could not confirm whether the two pa*sengers had in fact been placed on a no-fly list, but sought legal action against Air Canada. She said witnessing the scene made her “ashamed to be Canadian and ashamed of Air Canada.”
PKBNEWS interviews Benson on Tuesday. Please check back for any updates on this story.
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