Canadian travelers who partied maskless on plane now stranded in Cancun
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.
For more TPG news and deals delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter here
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."
"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.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app

