Air Canada passenger's trip ruined after being bumped off flight at Toronto Pearson

An Air Canada passenger and his son's dream trip to the UK was ruined after they were bumped from their flight last minute.

Journalist Dan Gardner shared the disappointing experience in a thread on Twitter.

"I just had the trip of a lifetime ruined by Air Canada," he tweeted on Sunday.

"I was to do a TV show with the legendary John Cleese. Scrubbed. I was to see London with my son. Scrubbed. Why? Air Canada bumped us as we were boarding. No explanation. No help. Unreachable reservations line."

Home news: I just had the trip of a lifetime ruined by Air Canada. I was to do a TV show with the legendary John Cleese. Scrubbed. I was to see London with my son. Scrubbed. Why? Air Canada bumped up us as we were boarding. No explanation. No help. Unreachable reservations line.

— Dan Gardner (@dgardner) June 18, 2023

Gardner says he and his son ended up sleeping on the floor at Toronto Pearson Airport. He tried to rebook the flight but says he couldn't get through to anyone who could help.

"Just endless Air Canada employees looking sympathetic and shrugging," he tweeted.

The father and son had to take the VIA Rail to get back home to Ottawa.

In the aftermath of the sudden bump, Gardner has been trying to get answers from the major airline.

He filed a complaint with the carrier on Monday and was met with the following automated response: "Thanks for sending us your feedback. Due to the higher number of current requests, it may take as long as 45 days for an Air Canada representative to get back to you."

On Wednesday, he updated the thread adding that a representative from the airline's reservations team assured him over the phone that their return flights were cancelled.

Text messages he was getting from the airline said otherwise.

"Now I'm getting text messages telling me to board at Heathrow," tweeted Gardner. "Can't wait for @aircanada to deny my claim because I didn't show."

Air Canada reservations - an actual person on the phone! - assured me our return flights were cancelled so it wouldn't look as if we hadn't shown up. Now I'm getting text messages telling me to board at Heathrow. Can't wait for @aircanada to deny my claim because I didn't show.

— Dan Gardner (@dgardner) June 21, 2023

Air Canada has yet to respond to Daily Hive's request for comment.

Gardner had some strong words for the airline.

"Let me just say this: You didn't just screw over me and my son, Air Canada. You screwed over John bloody Cleese," he tweeted.

The only thing worse than experiencing airport hell is listening to someone's experience of airport hell. So I won't go on. Let me just say this: You didn't just screw over me and my son, Air Canada.

You screwed over John bloody Cleese. pic.twitter.com/CQHBW7888Y

— Dan Gardner (@dgardner) June 18, 2023

This incident comes the same week the carrier was named one of the top airlines in the world and the most family-friendly.