Passenger arrested in Calgary after WestJet flight forced to turn around

A passenger was arrested when a WestJet flight bound for London was forced to turn back around to Calgary International Airport.

WestJet confirmed in a statement that the incident was caused by “mask non-compliance and physical interference with a crew member.”

The flight had only been in the air for an hour when the aircrew made the decision to return to Calgary so the passenger could be removed and arrested by members of the Calgary Police Airport Patrol Team.

The crew contacted Air Traffic Control who got ahold of the police around 9:30 pm Wednesday night.

Calgary police have charged 52-year-old Mamoudou Barry with one count of mischief over $5,000, one count of common nuisance endangering life, one count of assault, and one count of failure to comply with crew member’s instruction under Canadian Aviation Regulations.

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WestJet says crews are trained to handle a number of situations but they have a zero-tolerance approach to any interference that could impact the safety and security of guests, crew members, and operations.

WestJet’s chief operating officer, Diederik Pen, says as restrictions have changed, one thing that hasn’t is support for the crew in situations like this.

“Our cabin crew members show up daily to ensure the safety of our guests and operations. Over the last two years, they have been at the forefront of the pandemic, navigating an extremely complex operating environment and required to enforce restrictions, such as mask compliance,” Pen stated. “As Canadians return to travel, we will never compromise on making the right decisions in support of the safety and well-being of our crews and guests.”

After the incident, the flight to London continued and arrived safely at its destination at 2:39 pm local time.

WestJet says it appreciates the patience and understanding of its guests for the disruption to their travel plans.