The woman admitted to having an upset stomach but believed she should have been allowed to fly.
A woman claims she was kicked off a WestJet flight after using the bathroom too frequently before takeoff, however, the public is divided over whether her anger is justified.
Joanna Chiu took to X (previously Twitter) on February 10 to share her experience.
“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,” she wrote.
According to Chiu, she was not offered a hotel or replacement flight to her hometown, Vancouver, despite the fact she was taking medication for her stomach and was ‘on the mend.
“If you’re sick before a flight, hold it in…” she joked in the long thread.
After telling crew she was unwell, Chiu was instructed to leave the aircraft and, in a rush, left her money on her seat next to a travel companion.
Chiu said WestJet did not offer a hotel to stay in or cover the cost of a taxi to a hotel. At one point, Chiu claimed the WestJet employee “called a guard over to intimidate” her, prompting her to start crying.
“When I burst into tears the guard assessed rightly that Westjet dude was the asshole,” she wrote.
I requested another employee help me. She was much nicer but refused to give me a booking reference for my rebooked flight. She told me to just come back to the airport tomorrow and ask at the counter. 😔
— Joanna Chiu (@joannachiu) February 10, 2024
In a post shared at 2.30pm, Chiu described how she asked to speak to another employee who was “much nicer” but who would not give her a booking reference for her new flight. Instead, she said she was instructed to arrive at the airport the following day and ask at the counter.
Approximately 45 minutes later, Chiu posted an update, revealing WestJet had provided a booking reference but claimed it was only because she was posting about it online.
“It is sad that I wasn’t able to get any help unless I publicly aired my experience,” she wrote. “WestJet DM’d me my booking reference number after I had asked for it repeatedly at the airport.”
On February 12, Chiu updated her thread to let people know she had returned to Vancouver and offered advice for fellow travellers.
“Check whether your destination is known for stomach bugs,” she posted, followed by writing: “If you go to the washroom before a flight, and the flight attendant asks if you are sick, say you just have a small bladder”.
A WestJet spokesperson said the airline was “sincerely” sorry about Chiu’s travel experience, including the delay she endured to get an “appropriate recommendation option”.
However, the airline said the wellbeing and safety of passengers and crew was the priority, so health-related concerns were taken seriously.
“While unexpected illness can occur while travelling, maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all guests and crew members is paramount,” the spokesperson said.
“In circumstances where a guest is deemed unfit to travel due to illness, our crew are trained to make difficult, but required decisions in the name of safety.”
Reading the comments below Chiu’s thread, it appears many agree with WestJet, with people divided over whether Chiu deserved sympathy for her treatment or a slap on the wrist for trying to fly while unwell.
“If you’re sick you shouldn’t be flying,” one person said, describing issues she experienced as a result as “self inflicted” and praised WestJet for protecting fellow passengers.
“Many stomach bugs are extremely contagious, an entire flight could be taken down by one selfish person,” another stated, while one simply wrote: “Going on a flight sick is irresponsible.”
A former flight attendant said the staff “made the right call” but agreed that they didn’t communicate well with Chiu.
Others were more sympathetic to her story, describing it as “awful” and a “nightmare”, before wishing she was feeling better.
“That’s awful! Really adding insult to injury,” one person said, while another claimed a flight took off while they were in the bathroom.
“There was absolutely no way I could leave it in the condition I was in,” they wrote, adding that they felt for Chiu.
The New Zealand Herald has reached out to WestJet for comment.