Some travelers with Sunwing are demanding answers and money back after what they call a nightmare trip full of delays and cancellations.
Megan Hunter contacted Global News Sunday after her flight from Puerto Vallarta to Calgary was canceled. But the Okotoks, Alta., resident said the problems actually started with the outing.
Hunter said they were originally scheduled to leave for Mexico Nov. 6. However, that flight was delayed and then cancelled. Apparently, the passengers were then told that they had to check in again, in order to be able to board the next flight on November 7.
“We sat in line for about four hours,” Hunter told Global News. “There were probably about 200 of us.”
She said some passengers were told to go back home while others were put in hotels.
Co-pilot Janice Paton of BC, who was with a large wedding party, said they were offered nothing even though they almost didn’t make it through the wedding.
“We ended up going to a hotel, most of our group,” she told Global News. “But we ended up paying out of pocket.”
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The women told Global News that they faced flight delays again the next day. And they added the problems didn’t end once they were on board.
“So we got on the plane on Monday the 7th, but there was no pilot – there was no pilot for us. Then we sit on the tarmac – again for a few more hours – and they tell us to get off because they don’t have enough fuel.”
The flight finally took off, and Hunter and Paton both said it was a great vacation. But coming back, the problem-plagued journey hit more turbulence. Their flight of 13 November was again canceled and rebooked for 14 November.
“We had to tell the Sunwing guy that it was cancelled,” Paton said. “He didn’t even know.”
The passengers were provided accommodation, but both women said the hotel they were taken to was “sketchy”.
“There is mold in the showers, the toilets don’t flush properly and there were no towels,” they listed. “Oh, there are also cockroaches in some people’s rooms.”
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Global News reached out to Sunwing with the concerns raised by several passengers.
Sunwing issued a statement to Global News.
“We can confirm that immediately prior to the scheduled departure time for flight WG523 from Calgary to Puerto Vallarta, a mechanical problem was discovered which delayed the southbound flight while maintenance crews investigated and resolved the problem, which in turn affected the relevant northbound return flight. ,” the statement read in part.
“This has resulted in an overnight delay until tonight, November 14, for flight WG524 from Puerto Vallarta to Calgary.”
Sunwing added that its “best efforts” were made to notify passengers of any delays. It also said its teams were working to find alternative hotel accommodation for passengers and coordinate new airport transfers for the resulting return flight.
Hunter and Paton said that the airline’s best efforts were unfortunately not good enough.
“We’re out of pocket a whole lot of money and we’ve lost days,” Paton said.
“We want compensation.”
The flight was on schedule to arrive in Calgary on Monday night.
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