Some planes from Calgary and Edmonton to Mazatlán that were scheduled to take off Friday have now been cancelled, one day after violence broke out in the region on Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Sunwing flights to Mazatlán International Airport from Calgary and Edmonton were initially delayed for as much as half a day Friday before both were cancelled just after noon.
“In consultation with government and out of an abundance of caution, we are cancelling all of today’s southbound departures to Mazatlán,” the airline said in a statement.
Sunwing noted flights from Mazatlán to Canada have been delayed because of these cancellations. Recovery flights are currently being scheduled and hotel accommodations and food are being provided, the airline said.
“In light of the government advisory for Mazatlán and the resulting cancellation of today’s southbound departures, today’s northbound return flights have been impacted by further delays,” the statement said a few paragraphs later.
“Customers are advised to remain in their hotels until their new return flights are confirmed and to refer to their destination representative for updated transfer times.”
Farid Zadeh was excited to finally be able to go to Mexico after his first trip from Regina was cancelled due to December’s winter storm. When Sunwing offered to rebook him on a trip from Calgary to Mazatlán on Friday, Farid drove his family 12 hours and stayed at a nearby hotel for a night.
He didn’t know about the cancellation until he got to the airport. He was upset even though Sunwing offered to refund his trip — around $5,000 to $6,000.
“They didn’t update the flight at all… They said they can’t do anything,” Zadeh told Global News.
“I didn’t get a text message. They kept reporting it was delayed… I’m not happy with this. There is no organization.”
Meanwhile in a statement to Global News, budget airline Swoop said it is monitoring the civil unrest in Sinaloa state “closely” and will make operational changes due to safety as necessary.
As of Friday afternoon, a Swoop flight from Edmonton to Mazatlán was still scheduled to depart at 7:20 p.m. Saturday, and a Westjet flight from Calgary was set to depart just after 2 p.m. Saturday.
WestJet also cancelled a flight between Mazatlán and Vancouver set to take off Friday afternoon.
“As the situation continues to evolve, we will make operational changes in the name of safety as necessary. We advise all guests currently in the region to follow all response instructions provided by local authorities,” WestJet said in a statement.
Canadians in Mexico were advised to take shelter when cartel violence broke out in the country’s northwest on Thursday, following the arrest of Ovidio Guzman — son of jailed Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Such attempts to create chaos often come in response to arrests of important cartel figures in Mexico.
One of the most notorious came when federal security forces cornered Ovidio Guzman in October 2019, only to let him escape after gunmen shot up the city with high-powered weapons.
The Canadian federal government’s updated travel notice said there is “widespread violence and security operations” in Sinaloa state, particularly in Culiacán, Mazatlán, Los Mochis and Guasave.
Global Affairs Canada said the Culiacan and Mazatlán airports have since reopened on Friday, but the Las Mochis airport remains closed.
Pamela Stevens was supposed to leave Mazatlán at 2 p.m. on Friday but managed to extend her stay at her hotel after her flight back to Edmonton was cancelled.
She said she first heard about the conflict in the area on Thursday afternoon when the police set up blockades near the hotel.
“There were no cars on the roads and they had blockades up at the hotel… The hotel staff weren’t allowed to go anywhere because of the shelter-in-place order for them and for us,” Stevens told Global News.
She added she feels really safe and Sunwing has been communicative. Sunwing allowed her to extend her stay at the hotel, she said.
“The hotel said we could walk down the road if we wanted to. The hotel and Sunwing have been really great,” Stevens said.
“I feel completely safe… It was a little chaotic this morning, and they let us keep our rooms. We’re going to wait and see.”
However, Calgarian Eileen Head told 770 CHQR the risk of violence seems over as buses are running again and stores have reopened.
“I was down here last year as well and I feel very, very safe in this city,” she said.
“(Gang members) are not going to come to the city. They respect the people. Tourism is the life blood here.
“There are no incidents in the city, just the highway and they just want to secure the airport,” she claimed.
In a statement to Global News, Global Affairs Canada said it is aware of Canadians affected by the violence in Sinaloa state and is providing consular services.
“The safety of Canadians abroad is a top priority for the Government of Canada,” the email read.
“The Government of Canada advises all Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel to various regions in Mexico due to high levels of violence and organized crime.
“Travellers are advised to contact their airline to check their flight status or change their travel arrangements before going to the airport as many flight schedules have changed.”
Those in need of emergency consular service should contact Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre.
— With files from Amy Judd and Sean Boynton, Global News and The Canadian Press.