The “Sunwing party plane” organizer is speaking out against the government and officials who have reprimanded the passengers of the infamous flight that turned into a full-scale media frenzy over the winter.
On Thursday, James Awad Williams voiced his displeasure regarding the dozens of fines issued to the passengers of the flight he helped organize.
Over the past several weeks, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has announced several fines that have been issued to passengers on the privately-chartered Sunwing flight, which was filled mostly with Instagrammers, influencers, and reality show actors.
As it currently stands, 24 infractions have been handed out to the flight’s passengers, ranging from fines for not wearing face masks to non-compliance with federal COVID-19 vaccine rules.
Without giving specific prices, Alghabra says each fine could range “up to $5,000 each.”
“Fining $2,500 to people that were not wearing a mask in a private plane going to a country that has no restrictions is just people in power being idiots,” said Awad Williams on Thursday. “As if everybody makes enough money to pay those dictatorship fines?! After you close all the businesses and destroy almost 50% of the jobs and businesses in Canada? That doesn’t make any sense.”
To get fined for going on vacation and being young. Fuck you, literally. You don’t have to feel bad for me, but I feel bad for the people you are trying to destroy for something so little. You made a big deal out of this for people to forget about what’s really going on.
— senior (@111jameswilliam) March 31, 2022
Awad Williams says politicians in power have access to “unlimited money,” but regular people — who he says count on them to do their jobs well within the justice system — do not.
“We work hard every day, losing our minds with your curfew and quarantines rules for 2 years, end up going on vacation to get fined,” he continued.
He claims the passengers of the flight were only fined for “going on vacation and being you. Fuck you, literally.”
Awad Williams — who is the CEO of community organization TripleOne — says society “made a big deal out of this for people to forget what’s really going on.”
Earlier this week, Awad Williams challenged Alghabra to a charity boxing match akin to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canadian Senator Patrick Brazeau’s match in 2012.
“If I lose, I pay the fines, and I donate $1,000,000 to a charity of your choice,” states Awad. “If you lose, you pay the fines.”
A recap of this winter’s “Sunwing party plane” fiasco
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.
At the time, Alghabra said 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 said. “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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