Air Canada kicks out two passengers who refused to sit on vomit-soiled seats

Air Canada had to apologise to two fliers who were kicked out of a plane after refusing to sit ontheir seats that they claimed were soiled with vomit on a flight from Las Vegas to Montreal.

One of the passengers, Susan Benson, who was travelling aboard the Air Canada Flight 1706 and witnessed the entire incident, said the kerfuffle started when two women passengers complained to flight attendants about a putrid smell coming from their seats.

The passengerssaid they were unable to sit as someone, presumably from the previous flight, had vomited on the seats. Although the flight was cleaned, it was not done thoroughly.

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“They placed coffee grinds in the seat pouch and sprayed perfume to mask the smell. When the clearly upset passengers tried to explain to the flight attendant that the seat and seatbelt were wet and there was still visible vomit residue in their area, the flight attendant was very apologetic but explained that the flight was full and there was nothing they could do,” Susan wrote on Facebook.

Despite the flight attendants attempting to mask the smell, the passengers argued that it was not possible to sit on the seat. The attendants added that there was nothing that could be done since the flight was full.

After several minutes of arguing, the passengers were given blankets and wipes. Despite attempting to clean the area themselves, the situation remained unresolved.Benson noted the womensaid they didn’t want to sit on a wet seat for the duration of the 4-hour-and-25-minute flight.

Pilot gives the ultimatum

Benson, who was seated in a row behind the passengersexplained that shortly after, the pilot came up and gave the passengers two choices: they could either leave the flight on their own and look for other flights, or they would be escorted by security and placed on a no-fly list.

Benson added that there was no yelling involved and the incident was barely audible to those who weren't in close proximity.

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Security eventually arrived and the two passengers were promptly escorted out of the plane.

After the controversy snowballed on social media, Air Canada released a statement saying itwas "reviewing this serious matter internally and (had) followed up with the customers directly."

"Our operating procedures were not followed correctly in this instance," the airline said,adding ithad apologised to the customers involved.

"They clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled. We remain in contact with them about this matter."

(With inputs from agencies)

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