NO WING, NO PRAYER: Sunwing travelers tell of being jettisoned in Cancun

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Hundreds of passengers who were stranded for days in Cancun were set to train with Sunwing on Boxing Day after some slept at the airport – and others had to fend for themselves to find a flight home .

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“A lot of people are still stuck. Sunwing has completely stopped responding to us,” Linda wrote Monday morning from Cancun.

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“We were contacted by our travel agent yesterday to say that Sunwing would not take us out and not to wait for help from them – and to book with another airline. We are trying to get out today via Air Transat.

Videos on social media show passengers at the airport chanting aloud « Let’s go home! » as frustrations boiled over for days after they were supposed to be home for Christmas.

A passenger said even the Mexican national guard was called.

“I’m still stuck in Cancun, still with no flight home. Getting help is next to impossible here,” tweeted passenger Arlene Whiffin.

Many have made other arrangements at their own expense.

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« I lost patience and couldn’t let my wife and children suffer or sleep at the airport anymore, » Harshpreet Singh said. the Toronto Sun.

“We booked a flight with another airline and flew home. There are still families stuck there.

Sunwing blamed inclement weather, « which has limited our ability to move aircraft and crew to other airports, a number of return flights north continue to be affected by delays, » a statement said. of the airline.

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Its website told passengers that “their flight is delayed due to uncontrollable operational requirements causing your inbound aircraft to arrive late and was beyond the carrier’s control. Your flight is not eligible for delay compensation or a refund.

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Passenger Sohail Shahidnia returned home from Cancun at 7 p.m. on Christmas Day.

He gathered information from about 60 people considering legal action.

“Apparently this has been happening for three weeks. So it has nothing to do with the weather. It’s all related to Sunwing.

A rights group said travelers should be compensated.

“If Sunwing does not provide passengers with alternate transportation within a reasonable time, passengers have every right to purchase a ticket for themselves and Sunwing should then pay for those tickets,” said Gabor Lukacs, President of Air Passenger. Rights.

Moving luggage was also problematic until Monday afternoon.

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“Toronto Travelers: We have been advised that the Toronto Airport Terminal 3 baggage carousel is not functioning due to a mechanical issue,” Sunwing tweeted.

« As a result, we cannot guarantee that customers’ checked baggage will accompany them on their southbound flights from Toronto. »

Pearson Airport hit back, saying: ‘Terminal 3 baggage has been fully functional since 4.30am after a combination of cold machines, delayed arrivals and departing flights caused backups on Christmas Day. We are working with Sunwing Operations to keep flights on schedule and reunite passengers with delayed baggage.

slaurie@postmedia.com
Twitter: @_ScottLaurie