A transatlantic Air Canada flight was canceled under unusual circumstances, seemingly because one of the flight attendants ran out of patience…
In this post:
Blanket incident on Air Canada flight from Casablanca
This incident happened on Friday, July 26, 2024, and involves Air Canada flight AC73 from Casablanca (CMN) to Montreal (YUL). The flight was operated by a 22-year-old Airbus A330-300 with the registration code C-GHLM. The 3,534-mile flight was scheduled to depart at 8:50AM and arrive at 11:30AM.
Long story short, an onboard incident involving a flight attendant caused the flight to ultimately be canceled, after it had already left the gate. What exactly caused that?
Well, let’s start with what we have video evidence of. A video posted online shows a flight attendant in the cabin who clearly lost her cool, as she’s yelling at everyone in the cabin. She warns the passengers that she’s going to tell the captain, and then when some passengers ask her to tell the captain she refuses, and says “I don’t want any bullying against my crew.”
So, what went wrong? According to some passengers onboard, the situation occurred while the aircraft was pushing back and starting its taxi. A passenger reportedly asked for a blanket to keep warm due to the amount of air conditioning, and that somehow escalated and caused the plane to return to the gate.
The police were called to the aircraft, and the passenger in question was removed. However, other passengers were reportedly also uncomfortable traveling with the flight attendant, and that caused the airline to cancel the flight altogether.
The flight ended up being rescheduled for the following day, and a different crew operated, to avoid similar tensions on another flight.
Air Canada is now investigating this incident, with a spokesperson stating the following:
“We are taking this incident very seriously. It is under review, and we will take appropriate action. We apologize to our customers and deeply regret that their experience today fell far short of what they have come to expect when flying with Air Canada.”
This situation wasn’t handled well
I imagine there was a bit more to the blanket situation than we know as of now. I don’t think this was as simple as a passenger politely asking for a blanket, and the flight attendant then going berserk.
However, regardless of how this situation unfolded, displaying such a level of hostility isn’t acceptable, especially at such a loud tone, in front of so many passengers. Even if a passenger behaved poorly, flight attendants are supposed to be trained in deescalation.
The fact that this flight was canceled after a passenger was offloaded makes it pretty clear that parties agreed that the flight couldn’t continue with that flight attendant.
Now, in fairness, everyone has a bad day, and I don’t think an incident like this should be a career-ender. Dealing with the traveling public isn’t easy… at all. It doesn’t excuse it, but everyone makes mistakes. I mean, this isn’t like that time that a JetBlue flight attendant got so fed up that he popped the emergency slide, grabbed some beers, and made an exit.
Bottom line
An Air Canada flight from Casablanca to Montreal was canceled after a flight attendant lost her cool. The incident reportedly started with a conflict about a blanket, but that quickly escalated into something worse, with a flight attendant screaming in the cabin at passengers.
The flight ended up being canceled, as first a passenger was offloaded, and then other passengers were reportedly uncomfortable flying with the initial flight attendant. This isn’t a good situation…
What do you make of this Air Canada flight attendant incident?
She did not lose her cool, you can't lose something you do not have.
Air canada flight attendants are trained to be rude and disrespectful they talk to passengers as if they were in kindergarten talking to 5 year old i am not surprised my last flight she basically tried to say she is doing me a favour to get me a blankrt
Nonsense
These countries are often hard flights to operate as the passengers just treat the crews awfully. There is more to this story. Passengers from these countries need to change their attitudes.
"Now, in fairness, everyone has a bad day, and I don’t think an incident like this should be a career-ender."
Well then I guess nobody should be surprised if such incidents continue to happen with some frequency in the future, if there are enough people out there who share your opinion.
If the passenger had behaved this way on camera, I suspect it would not be considered "just a bad day". It might be...
"Now, in fairness, everyone has a bad day, and I don’t think an incident like this should be a career-ender."
Well then I guess nobody should be surprised if such incidents continue to happen with some frequency in the future, if there are enough people out there who share your opinion.
If the passenger had behaved this way on camera, I suspect it would not be considered "just a bad day". It might be a "career ender" for the traveller in terms of ever flying AC metal again, and would possibly have legal repercussions as well after being escorted out by the police.
But if it's the FA then it's just a bad day?
Flight attendant is making decisions based on his/her mood of that day? Then that FA is simply no suit for his/her job. End of the discussion.
Not sure why is DEI even brought to this incident. I'm not a fan of the DEI thing, but blaming DEI whenever a minority causes an incident on their job is simply equivalent of the other side blaming on "white personality" whenever white people do some shıt.
Your comment justifying having a bad day doesn't have much validity. Sure, we all have bad days. But when a bad day causes the business money (how much does cancelling a flight cost?) shouldn't the employee expect to have another bag day? Seems like best case is loss of employment, worst case is paying that expense back
There is more than the stupid blanket situation. A FA would not easily snap out just for being asked to bring a blanket. The pax involved must questioned thoroughly as well. As long as it is not properly confirmed what truely happens, nobody is either guilty or innocent at this moment.
You are only showing the available video of the evaluation from the POW of the passengers not what happened before.
Nobody is questioning what makes a flight attendant get so angry?-
Moroccans are not sincerely famouss for their politeness or tolerance towards homosexuals or black Africans
No matter what happened before, there is no reason a FA should behave like this. We see the evidence of what happened, something made this woman snap and lash out a CUSTOMERS. She should be fired for this, no matter what led up to it. In an emergency, she would be a liability because she cannot control her emotions.
'now in fairness'
'everyone has a bad day..'
No. And No.
There is no merit in trying to gloss over this sh1tshow and trying to shield that FA. They should be sacked. End of story.
So where was this FA co-workers? They decided to let it all play out it seems and let her get run over. Deeper story here.
"This situation wasn't handled well" ... No kidding Sherlock. That woman needs to be sacked on the spot. That's simply unacceptable. "Everyone has a bad day"? Serious? Another comment in the article that is silly.
American way of using AC is weird, because it makes one sweating in the winter, and feeling frozen in the summer. Same on airplane. Even outside temp is above 80 or 90F, one has to bring a jacket on board.
As a 2mm Air Canada flyer, in embarrassed to say this is what the airline has become.
Pathetic management, incapable of running an airline, and a govt that won't stand up to the airline for fear of Quebec votes.
Obviously the FA should be fired, but if that happened AC would need to fire another 1000 FAs and gate agents that are just as rude.
Air Canada is last in North American on time performance, because they just don't care
If they'd like new management I hear there's a world renowned soccer coach looking for work...
I wouldn’t trust a FA like that in an emergency situation. Passengers should be able to have a vote of no confidence and have crew members removed. For when crew members abuse their power.
This needs to be a career ended. As flight attendants like to remind us constantly, they’re “primarily here for our safety”. What if she has a bad day during an emergency? With power comes responsibility, she has the power to unilaterally remove people from the flight, and if she can’t handle it she needs to be relieved of her position.
"Now, in fairness, everyone has a bad day, and I don’t think an incident like this should be a career-ender." Strongly disagree. There needs to be accountability.
AC ground crew, cabin crew, and pilots are some of the most incompetent, rude, outrageous, and confrontational. I flew AC once, I had a seat assigned to me by AC, and then 5 minutes before door closing, they figured out that my seat could not be assigned to my any longer as it was supposed to be reserved for crew rest. With no other open seats on the flight, and no other reasonable accommodations, I...
AC ground crew, cabin crew, and pilots are some of the most incompetent, rude, outrageous, and confrontational. I flew AC once, I had a seat assigned to me by AC, and then 5 minutes before door closing, they figured out that my seat could not be assigned to my any longer as it was supposed to be reserved for crew rest. With no other open seats on the flight, and no other reasonable accommodations, I am not getting out of the seat I buckled into. The entire flight the crew were so hostile and rude. Flo and Mercedes from AC come to mind as the most rudest FAs ever. I took videos and pictures of Flo making the most disgusting faces at other passengers reqests during the service, and got a 300$ credit from them.
Canada is a melting pot of cultures, but one thing in that melting pot thats common is sheer rudeness and incompetency. I'd rather take my sassy queen smacking gum and calling my doll and dear on United any day of the week.
RE: Incident. No level of outrageousness should ever call for people in the service industry to be out of character or loose their professionalism. You stay cool, calm and collected, and figure out a way to deal with passenger; if the collective opinion is you're going to have issues in the air, then consult your captain and have them offloaded.
We do not have all the information, true, however the reaction of the FA on the video is not appropriate on so many levels... especially if she was Maitre de cabine, defending "her crew".
Would never happen on Delta as it’s the most profitable airline in the galactic.
It's a bit excessive and uncalled for. You can have a difference of opinion with Tim, but have you nothing else to do all day than the endless, and at this rate pointless trolling?
I stan with you.
The only time I ever felt unsafe in an airport was at Casablanca in Morroco. A lovely city indeed, but omg the airport.
As I approached security I thought a terrorist attack was taking place, it sounded crazy. I gingerly walk around the corner into absolute craziness. the lines were not moving and the people just erupted, pushing, shoving, and shouting. The x-ray walk-through started to push to the side, it was absolute mayhem....
The only time I ever felt unsafe in an airport was at Casablanca in Morroco. A lovely city indeed, but omg the airport.
As I approached security I thought a terrorist attack was taking place, it sounded crazy. I gingerly walk around the corner into absolute craziness. the lines were not moving and the people just erupted, pushing, shoving, and shouting. The x-ray walk-through started to push to the side, it was absolute mayhem. I have a video of this. I just wanted to get through it, and once through...I ran to the gate.
The security was screaming back at passengers, and some were in a physical fight.
I'll go out on a limb and guess that this is a norm in that country, and the passenger(s) behaviour might have been similar to what I witnessed. This was pre-vaccine.
The flight attendant was trying to maintain order. I'm going to side with her until more info comes out.
Me too, and the fact that she said she wouldn't tolerate bullying of the crew is quite telling.
> This was pre-vaccine.
LMAO ~ what?!? haha
I was in an EastJet flight that had just entered the runway ready to take off but instead takes to the first exit and went back to the terminal. Where a passenger was offloaded by police. A few minutes later a member of the crew left the plane because she was too upset to work the flight because “her feelings were hurt”. Our flight wasn’t cancelled but was delayed around 3 hours while another flew...
I was in an EastJet flight that had just entered the runway ready to take off but instead takes to the first exit and went back to the terminal. Where a passenger was offloaded by police. A few minutes later a member of the crew left the plane because she was too upset to work the flight because “her feelings were hurt”. Our flight wasn’t cancelled but was delayed around 3 hours while another flew was found. Didn’t get EU261 because EZ said it was extraordinary.
Another time I was flying AA from CLT to BCN. During drink service a male passenger returning from the lav was about a meter behind the crew member pushing the drinks cart. The female crew member turned around, told him to “get out of my face” and then pushed him.
Both incidents seemed like crew who were stressed and had had enough.
Flight attendant pushes me as described above, and I'll be asking police to meet the aircraft. That's insane.
That's battery, for sure, and it's 100% a criminal offense. You should definitely get your ass fired for physically assaulting a passenger.
Should check blood sugar level of flight attendant !
Or other medical condition.
Doesn’t seem right unless she has history of outbursts previously.
Don't most long-haul flights have more FAs than required, in part so they can operate even if one is unavailable? If they only had 6 FAs on this flight, that's as much on AC for inadequate scheduling.
This is not career ending? Of course it should be career ending.
You guys are insufferable. The FA that had a “meltdown” was defending another crew member that was called a derogatory homophobic slur. She wanted him gone but the rest of the passengers rallied together in true racist Quebecois fashioned and all began teaming up on her. Imagine having a mob of people yelling at you for defending your colleague and you’re supposed to do what? Take it with a smile on your face. Please save...
You guys are insufferable. The FA that had a “meltdown” was defending another crew member that was called a derogatory homophobic slur. She wanted him gone but the rest of the passengers rallied together in true racist Quebecois fashioned and all began teaming up on her. Imagine having a mob of people yelling at you for defending your colleague and you’re supposed to do what? Take it with a smile on your face. Please save me the think pieces. I hope this FA does not lose her job over this because the video is incredibly one sided and doesn’t paint the full picture.
No, You ask them "excuse me sir/madam/etc, could you repeat that? Is my identity going to be an issue for the rest of our flight?" While you make them look stupid, you consult other members of the team and get them offloaded, and perhaps banned. Or you show professional sass. "Well this (insert slur here) is going to be looking after your wellbeing on todays flight. Unfortunately, there are no other members of the team,...
No, You ask them "excuse me sir/madam/etc, could you repeat that? Is my identity going to be an issue for the rest of our flight?" While you make them look stupid, you consult other members of the team and get them offloaded, and perhaps banned. Or you show professional sass. "Well this (insert slur here) is going to be looking after your wellbeing on todays flight. Unfortunately, there are no other members of the team, shall this be of any concern to your personal/political opinions please do say so now, so we can make the appropriate arrangements for you."
"When they go low you go high." Consequences for the rude passenger are bound to be more dire that way. Also, if the labour laws (and other civil liberties) at point of origin or destination aren't solid, I'd advise that to my management and not work those routes. Ik crew members out of principal don't work UA's DXB route, and others who love working it. Coming from someone of the LGBTQIA+ community.
You have no idea what led them to this point. The expectation that aggression from passengers or customers is supposed to be met with smiles and kindness is absurd. At work or not. I demand respect and will absolutely get it.
Well saying Québéquois are racists made yourself racist so..
Yes, take it with a smile on your face. That's one of the biggest parts of the job for a FA. If they can't do that and melt down instead, who knows what they will do in an emergency. I think firing or removal from service dealing with the public are the only two options, and I prefer the former.
Taking this at face value…
Why is it so easy to imagine a cold passenger on Air Canada being rebuffed by a flight attendant?
The lack of a service culture in North American airlines’ cabins is just…sad. And an easy slow fix.
Yeah, well if passengers didn't turn every flight into an episode of Pigs in Space, crews wouldn't be so on-edge the whole time. I'd feel more comfortable flying with this crew member than I would with some low-life cousin-lover who got away with calling one of the staff a f*ggot because "customer service".
This is a career ending meltdown. I wouldn't want to be on a parking lot bus with a person this far out of control let alone trapped in a metal tube.
Without knowing All the Details it really is not worth commenting but the FA needs to be suspended at Best for very unprofessional behavior and subject to termination.Once the investigation is complete the Airlline may find there were issues with the Employee that will come to their attention by addressing her behavior with the Crew. Very few Corporations would allow such behavior from an Employee and there is video footage of her Meltdown. The associated...
Without knowing All the Details it really is not worth commenting but the FA needs to be suspended at Best for very unprofessional behavior and subject to termination.Once the investigation is complete the Airlline may find there were issues with the Employee that will come to their attention by addressing her behavior with the Crew. Very few Corporations would allow such behavior from an Employee and there is video footage of her Meltdown. The associated costs of cancelling the flight and reaccommodating all those Customers will all work against the FA retaining her job.
How about - I don’t know enough to make anything of this incident, though I’m glad I wasn’t on the plane.
Much more to this for sure, look forward to reading an update as the facts come to light.
This is not an emergency evacuation, for all the yelling, threatening voice, combine with hand gesture, and kept walking back and fourth that looks like she wants to start a fight, are totally over the top and unnecessary, even if air Canada don't fire her, she is not meant to work in the customer service industry no matter what was the reason that cause her to do that
@ORDnHKG.. All we are seeing on the short clip is the tail end of an interaction so let’s wait for more information before condemning individuals on either side.
Was seated across the aisle from an Arabic shouting and pushing match nearly immediately after our DMM-AMM RJ flight took off. It was tense yet the crew (and clearly plain clothes security 'passengers' eased the situation. It was clear that we were the only Americans on the flight and everyone not only calmed the pax but were also worried about us. I was surprised the flight didn't turn around but we flew on and police...
Was seated across the aisle from an Arabic shouting and pushing match nearly immediately after our DMM-AMM RJ flight took off. It was tense yet the crew (and clearly plain clothes security 'passengers' eased the situation. It was clear that we were the only Americans on the flight and everyone not only calmed the pax but were also worried about us. I was surprised the flight didn't turn around but we flew on and police greeted the aircraft in Amman. When voices are raised on a flight it only causes alarm and concern, this FA shouldn't have resorted to it
Just another DEI mis-hire.
Just another racist dog whistle.
If we are honest we’d admit that race matters and we’ve been brainwashed for 60 years into thinking it doesn’t.
Speak for yourself, not us . Race matters as far as racism is concerned, as you have just shown.
That's not a dog whistle, that's a full on cry for attention!
The insecurity of these bigots is sad, really. They have to point the finger at others because they're scared stiff that people will find out *they* didn't get where they are on their own. No, their mommies and daddies made calls:
- To prospective employers to "c'mon, how long have we known each other? Just give my kid a chance,"
...
That's not a dog whistle, that's a full on cry for attention!
The insecurity of these bigots is sad, really. They have to point the finger at others because they're scared stiff that people will find out *they* didn't get where they are on their own. No, their mommies and daddies made calls:
- To prospective employers to "c'mon, how long have we known each other? Just give my kid a chance,"
- To teachers to "I beg you: turn that B into an A because it would ruin Junior's future to get a B!"; and,
- To Bank of Mommy and Daddy to wire the money for the down payment for their first house...
But hey, don't let anyone else get special consideration - that would be unfair!!
@TravelinWilly
Just another brainwashed liberal taking whatever their owner - Democrats - say.
100% without question. The original DEI was called affirmative action which required tests to be dumbed down so dumb ‘people’ could pass them. I’m sure Canada is just as bad.
Race is not a choice. Bigotry is a choice.
Tests were dumbed down for Dubya to make our education numbers better. Remember "no child left behind." The result 25 years later is that a lot more than half the country (both sides) are morons who know literally nothing about anything not on Tiktok.
No DEI involved. The stupidity is universal and reflects in our absolutely atrocious and embarrassing standing vs. other countries, while being the richest country in the world.
Person isn’t white = must be a “DEI mishire”. You’re gross, just so you know that. Just so you’re clear.
What a weird thing to say.
Every person of colour with a job is a DEI hire?
Get a fu@*ing life.
DEI = ‘didn’t earn it’
I’m not outraged by the racism and trolling, but seriously dude, grow up.
This flight attendant should be immediately terminated for cause. No excuse for this behavior.
Why couldn't they just offload the one flight attendant that supposedly was 'the issue' and carry on with the flight one FA down? I am sure that AC operates with more FA's than the legal minimum
Something in this story does not make sense.
Why would you think that AC operates with more than the necessary FA's than required? In your words, your comment "does not make sense".
@LAXLonghorn. " In your words, your comment "does not make sense".
Legal minimum FA's 1 x FA per 50 x pax. AC A330 have less than 300 pax. They carry at least 8 FA.
Does it now make sense?
Yeah there are no spares scheduled and departing from an outpost, it is not like a reserve could be called in like could happen at YYZ YUL OR YVR.
Duck Ling specifically said "down one FA" meaning minus one... not replaced.
My guess is that enough pax were angry & AC didn't want to risk the other crew members taking the heat for one bad apple.