The Sunwing party plane saga continues.
On Monday, Transport Canada announced six passengers on the infamous Sunwing Airlines flight were fined for non-compliance with vaccination rules and not wearing masks.
On December 30, dozens of influencers and Instagrammers boarded a rowdy flight from Montreal to Cancun.
Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport, says that so far 12 penalties have been handed out. The first six of which took place earlier this month. On March 8, Alghabra announced that six passengers were fined for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
On Monday, Alghabra said the latest six passengers were fined “up to $5,000.” The minister says there are “consequences for those who break the rules.”
Alghabra says more fines are on the way.
There are consequences for those who break the rules! We have issued a new series of 6 penalties, up to $5,000, to travellers on the Dec 30 flight to Cancun. 5 penalties for non-compliance w/ vaccination rules & 1 penalty for not wearing a mask. 12 penalties so far. More to come!
— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) March 21, 2022
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Transport Canada did not disclose any more specifics on exactly how much money the six passengers were fined. Since November 30 across Canada, the federal government requires all passengers over the age of 12 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to board a commercial flight, train, or cruise ship.
At the time of the infamous media frenzy, Transport Canada threatened to fine any and all unvaccinated travellers on the flight $5,000.
On December 30, videos of a party on a privately chartered flight full of Quebec social media influencers and actors went viral. The airline that hosted the flight, Sunwing, declined the partygoers’ return flight out of Cancun a few days later, citing a breach in their contract. Passengers were also recorded breaking several airline codes, including dancing in aisles, not wearing masks, drinking alcohol, and smoking e-cigarettes.
Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, says certain behaviours on the flight were “unacceptable,” justifying why Transport Canada “took immediate action.”
“Aviation rules must be respected by everyone, for the sake of everyone’s safety,” he concluded. “Transport Canada will continue to investigate and issue all necessary penalties.”
After the videos circulated, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the in-flight party was a “slap in the face” to Canadians to see people “putting themselves, putting their fellow citizens, putting airline workers at risk by being completely irresponsible.”
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