The passenger sparked a debate after describing her experience on X, as some users thought the airline made the right call in asking her to leave the plane
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A woman aboard a WestJet flight said she was kicked off the aircraft for excessively using the bathroom before takeoff.
After describing the incident on X, users are split on whether the airline’s actions were justified
WestJet shared in a statement with PEOPLE that if a passenger is sick, the airline has a right to remove them in order to preserve the health and safety of fellow passengers.
A WestJet passenger claims she was kicked off a flight for excessive use of the bathroom before takeoff.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), user @joannachiu revealed she was forced to leave the aircraft after making frequent trips to the bathroom due to an “upset stomach.”
“Just got kicked off a @WestJet flight from Mexico because I had an upset stomach and was going to the washroom too much before takeoff. No promise of a hotel or rebooked flight. I had meds and was on the mend. Some customer service,” she wrote of the incident, which occurred earlier this month.
Related: Excessively Farting Passenger Reportedly Causes American Airlines Flight to Turn Around
Just got kicked off a @WestJet flight from Mexico because I had an upset stomach and was going to the washroom too much before takeoff. No promise of a hotel or rebooked flight. I had meds and was on the mend. Some customer service.
If you’re sick before a flight, hold it in…
— Joanna Chiu (@joannachiu) February 10, 2024
In the thread, she adds that she accidentally left her money behind on the plane while rushing to leave and the airline “refused” to pay for her taxi to a hotel.
After she “burst into tears” when a WestJet supervisor at the airport started giving her a hard time, she says, another employee was kinder but still refused to give her a reference number for a rebooked flight the following day, instead telling her to return to the airport and ask an attendant.
When she began filming an employee who refused to give her the number, she says she was told that “unless I deleted the video I wouldn’t be able to get on a flight tomorrow.”
She eventually got the number, but only after posting about her experience on X.
“It is sad that I wasn’t able to get any help unless I publicly aired my experience. WestJet DM’d me my booking reference number after I had asked for it repeatedly at the airport. I ended up getting in the taxi because I was legitimately worried about getting arrested,” the passenger wrote.
Related: This Airline Is Currently Weighing Passengers Before Boarding as Part of a Safety Protocol
In the responses to her post, other X users were outraged by the way the Canadian airline treated the woman.
“What the heck! How many times does going to the washroom get you the boot?” one person wrote. Another added, “This is outrageous. That’s what the on board toilet is there for!”
Meanwhile, other users thought the crew members acted justly.
“The passenger was ill and as such should not have been flying. Sounds like this problem could have resulted in the passenger needing to occupy the lavatory for the entire return flight, or at times when ‘in seat’ is [required] for safety. Good call, poorly communicated.”
Another shared: “As a former flight attendant, they made the right call. I can’t vouch for how they communicated to/with you, but the decision wasn’t wrong.”
Related: 140 Passengers Sick with Gastrointestinal Illness on 55-Day Cruise Aboard Queen Victoria, CDC Says
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In response to the incident, a representative for for WestJet, shared a statement with PEOPLE.
“We sincerely apologize to Ms. Chiu for the inconvenience and discomfort she experienced during her recent travel experience. Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority and therefore we take any health-related concerns very seriously.”
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The rep continues: “While unexpected illness can occur while traveling, maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all guests and crew members is paramount. In circumstances where a guest is deemed unfit to travel due to illness, our crew must make difficult decisions in the name of safety.”
She adds that WestJet’s Social Care team “immediately reached out” when they read Chiu’s experience on X and that they are reviewing procedures to ensure guests in a similar situation receive the right support.
The WestJet incident comes one month after a passenger on another flight was reportedly removed for being extremely gassy.
A passenger on the flight from Phoenix to Austin recounted on Reddit that a fellow flyer repeatedly passed gas and loudly bragged about. As a result, the plane was forced to return to the gate and the passenger was removed.
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