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Canadian travelers who partied maskless on plane now stranded in Cancun

Jan. 08, 2022
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3 min read
Sunwing Boeing 737-8K5
Canadian travelers who partied maskless on plane now stranded in Cancun
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Dozens of Canadian passengers who went viral after video showed them partying maskless on a plane are now stranded in Mexico because airlines are refusing to fly them home. They've also become pariahs in their home country over their antics. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in on the controversy, calling it "a slap in the face" to other Canadians.

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What started as a free trip to Mexico has turned into an absolute fiasco for the group, which is reportedly made up of social media influencers and Canadian reality TV stars. They flew down to Cancun for a New Year's Eve celebration on Dec. 30 from Montreal. The charter, operated by Sunwing Airlines, carried 130 passengers, according to the New York Times. All but 27 of them are apparently still stuck in Mexico.

Video taken during the flight shows a wild scene that bordered on self-parody, with people dancing on seats and in the aisles, drinking straight out of vodka bottles, and even vaping.


Sunwing Airlines, which operated the charter flight to Cancún, canceled the return flight after their own investigation found that the passengers “exhibited unruly behavior and did not respect aviation or public health regulations.”

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“Our decision to cancel the return flight was based on the group’s refusal to accept all terms and our security team’s assessment that noncompliance would be likely based on their previous disruptive onboard behavior,” the company said in a statement.

Air Canada and Air Transat both say they will not permit members of the group from boarding their planes to return home. Air Transat tweeted that those passengers won't be allowed to board their jets due to safety concerns.

The hits keep on coming for the stranded influencers, who could face stiff fines along with public ridicule.

Transport Canada, the country’s transportation authority, said it is investigating the chaotic flight and that passengers could face fines as high as CA$5,000 (about $3,954) for violating Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions. One of those protocols, of course, is you are forbidden to travel without masks.

Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau said during a press conference the group's reckless actions are insulting to their fellow countrymen who have followed the protocols during the pandemic. “I think, like all Canadians who’ve seen those videos, I’m extremely frustrated,” he said.

Featured image by Toronto Star via Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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