Sunwing Airlines says one of its flights from Toronto to Cancun, Mexico, was delayed by over 13 hours on Friday because the flight crew exceeded the maximum number of hours they are allowed to work.
The company said flight WG535 was scheduled to depart Toronto’s Pearson International Airport at 10:15 a.m., but didn’t leave until 11:40 p.m.
A spokesperson told Global News that the delays began because the aircraft arrived at Pearson Airport later than expected overnight.
The company said it had to arrange for another crew to be brought in before the aircraft could be flown to Cancun because the original flight crew “exceeded their duty hours” by that point.
There is no word on what caused the original delay to Pearson.
Many passengers on flight WG535 began showing up at Pearson airport Friday morning without knowledge of the delay.
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“Unfortunately it was not possible to advise the majority of customers in advance given the lateness of the hour,” a Sunwing spokesperson told Global News in an email. “Revised flight times were posted on our website.”
Passengers on the flight began posting their frustrations on social media, with one video posted to Twitter showing police officers speaking to the passengers in a bid to keep them calm.
“If you want to fly out at 11:30, take your seats and remain seated,” an officer says in the video. “If you do not wish to continue on your vacation, then I’m sure we will make arrangements for the buses to take you back.”
Some Twitter users also indicated that they were delayed from leaving Cancun as a result of the delays in Toronto.
https://twitter.com/SlightlyNoobish/status/1129584921675280385
Sunwing did not respond to a request to confirm if passengers were also facing delays in Cancun.
Sunwing said it “compensated” passengers, though did not expand on what that meant other than saying passengers who arrived at Pearson airport were offered meal vouchers if they wanted to wait at the airport and taxi vouchers if they wanted to go back home. Hotel rooms were also offered for passengers who were from out of town, the company said.
Global News reached out to some affected passengers but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
WATCH: Police calm down passengers waiting for Sunwing’s Toronto to Cancun flight that was delayed by over 13 hours
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