Air Canada Apologizes After Vomit Incident

Two women were reportedly escorted off a flight between Las Vegas and Montreal following a dispute over poorly cleaned seating. Despite complaining about the seats with vomit, the crew expected the two passengers to still reside in their seats and even suggested removing them from the aircraft.
 

Air Canada has confirmed it has apologized after two women were kicked off a flight for refusing to sit in seats with vomit on them. Initially highlighted by another passenger, Susan Benson, on social media platforms Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), Air Canada’s “Vomitgate” incident saw passengers escorted from a flight between Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) on August 26 after complaining about the poorly cleaned area to cabin crew members.

According to Benson’s post, the unhappy travelers could not be accommodated in any alternative seats due to the plane being full, noting that they could not be expected to sit in vomit for five hours. The dispute eventually ended with the pair being provided additional wipes and blankets to place over the damp seats.

The situation was re-escalated when the pilot approached the passengers before departure, warning them that they could either voluntarily leave the plane or be escorted off by security and placed on the carrier’s no-fly list, citing their behavior. Benson notes that another passenger jumped to their defense, but unfortunately little could be done.
 

“The passenger beside them explained to the pilot that they have literal vomit in their seat. He explained that they were not rude, just upset!…Next thing we know, security comes down the aisle and escorted the two ladies off the plane!! For what? Refusing to sit for 5 hrs in vomit!”

Benson ended the emotive post with a harsh critique of Air Canada’s treatment of the two women, adding that it made her “ashamed to be Canadian.” In a subsequent interview with local media, Benson explained she believed the airline mishandled the incident and that it should have never tried to seat the passengers to begin with.

Air Canada confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that it had launched an investigation and already apologized to those affected. “We are reviewing this serious matter internally and have followed up with the customers directly as our operating procedures were not followed correctly in this instance. This includes apologizing to these customers, as they clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled and addressing their concerns. We remain in contact with them about this matter.”

Mirroring a similar event in April 2019, a Frontier Airlines passenger was arrested on misdemeanor trespassing charges for complaining about vomit on her seat. According to local media, Rosetta Swinney was held in jail for over twelve hours following being escorted from a service between Las Vegas and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), describing the incident as “humiliating.”

In a statement shared by Frontier Airlines, it noted that the crew had offered to re-accommodate the passengers, claiming that Swinney was unsatisfied and became disruptive before her arrest. Swinney took the airline to court, citing abuse of process, defamation, and negligence, with the dispute eventually settled for an undisclosed amount in May 2022.