Air Canada passengers were stuck on tarmac for 7.5 hours due to storm
For the second time within two weeks, Air Canada passengers were once again stuck on a plane which didn't leave the tarmac for over seven hours due to the latest winter storm, before the flight was eventually cancelled.
Jason Burrows boarded Air Canada flight AC618 from Toronto to Halifax on Friday evening for a scheduled departure of 7:45 p.m., although the snow storm had already started around 6 p.m.
He states that while many other airlines had already cancelled their flights for the evening as a precaution, Air Canada proceeded to let their passengers board the plane.
Unfortunately for Burrows and his family - which includes two children and two seniors, he claims they would proceed to be stuck on the tarmac for close to 7.5 hours, with minimal snacks or drinks before eventually being brought back to the gate after the flight was cancelled.
AC618 has been on the tarmac for 5 hours now.
— PompeyFever2020 (@PompeyFever2020) March 4, 2023
WTF is going on....this storm was know for awhile
Burrows emailed blogTO from the airplane around five hours after his scheduled departure, calling the experience a mess.
"We've been stuck on the tarmac for over 5 hours now," said Burrows. "Air Canada decided to let us board and leave for 7:45 p.m. when other airlines were cancelling their flights."
Burrows told blogTO that the plane had to get de-iced, but when restarting the engines, one of the engines failed to start and took out the power and lights inside the cabin.
Once power was restored, he says that passengers started getting upset after two to three hours of sitting on the tarmac, and were only given minimal sustenance after three hours.
"We were provided with cups of water and mini granola bars after the 3 hour mark. Cups of orange juice came out around hour 6."
We might as well stay on the plane until morning now when the snow clears....whats another 7 hours when you're already 5 hours in. I'm sure Air Canada has more Granola bars for us!
— PompeyFever2020 (@PompeyFever2020) March 4, 2023
Burrows updated blogTO that once the flight was cancelled and they disembarked at Pearson, Air Canada handed out hotel vouchers as well as taxis and meal vouchers, but they were met with more delays.
"They didn't let any taxi companies know and the O.P.P. we're telling people to stay off the roads. We waited 1.5 hours for a taxi after having to get our checked luggage."
Burrows says that he and his family didn't get to a hotel until 6 a.m. Saturday morning, just to head back to Pearson for noon to try to get on a rescheduled flight to Halifax, which was also delayed.
"This is a pattern of recklessness by Air Canada," he told blogTO.
