A Porter Airlines flight from Victoria International Airport in British Columbia, Canada, to Toronto was cancelled after a child refused to sit down and fasten their seatbelt. The plane had left the terminal and was heading to the runway for departure when the incident occurred.
Return to gate
According to the airline, a parent and cabin crew repeatedly tried to secure the child in their seat but were unsuccessful. The plane was forced to return to the gate so the child and parent could be removed, along with their luggage. All remaining passengers were also made to disembark while flight plans were refiled and other paperwork was completed.
This delayed the flight beyond Victoria's runway closure time at 12.30am, leaving passengers stranded in British Columbia for the night.
Passenger accounts
Aryeh Kozuch, who was on board, said the child was scared: "They just kept hiding under their seat. If they got forced into being strapped in, they just kind of slid out underneath." Another passenger, Hillary Hertzberg, said "it took forever" for the pair to disembark and criticised the airline's communication after the cancellation.
Airline response
Porter Airlines apologised to passengers inconvenienced on Thursday (August 6) and confirmed they were rebooked on a different flight the following day. Many passengers are now demanding compensation for their expenses.
Porter Airlines is Canada's third-largest scheduled carrier, known for its all-economy regional experience with no middle seats, free beer and wine in glassware, and fast free Wi-Fi on its jets.
