Air Canada has apologized after two women were physically removed from a flight after they refused vomit-covered seats. Their identities were not revealed in coverage, but the smell was so foul that other passengers realized what was going on and took the story to the press. There are disgusting details–the air crew "dumped coffee grounds" in a seat pocket in a hare-brained effort to conceal the odor–and appalling ones: the women were treated like terrorists for complaining.
"She [the passenger] was just insistent that she can't be expected to sit in a wet seat with the vomit smell and residue," Benson said.
After a supervisor reiterated that they would have to sit in the soiled seats, the two women were "reluctantly" provided blankets, wipes and vomit bags to clean the area themselves, according to Benson.
She maintained, despite arguing with flight staff, the women were "upset" but "not rude."
Eventually, the pilot allegedly gave the women two options: leave the plane on their own accord and pay for another flight or be escorted off by security and placed on a no-fly list. The pilot reportedly cited their rude behaviour as the reason for the forced exit.
It's one thing to demand customers sit in vomit. That's air travel now. To threaten them with legal consequences for refusing to do so, though, that's what used to be called "asking for it."
