A WestJet flight scheduled to travel from Vancouver to Fort St. John faced an unexpected delay on March 16 due to an incident involving a passenger.
The disruption occurred at Vancouver International Airport just before the flight’s scheduled departure at 9:00 a.m.
WestJet confirmed in a statement that the passenger was escorted off the plane by RCMP officers prior to takeoff.
“An individual aboard WestJet flight 3202 was escorted off a WestJet aircraft by RCMP prior to takeoff after refusing to present their boarding pass or personal identification,” said media relations advisor Julia Kaiser.
According to accounts from passengers, the airline performed a headcount and discovered an additional passenger aboard the aircraft and noted a language barrier between the man in question and the crew.
As a result, the entire flight was temporarily de-boarded while the matter was resolved.
“The flight between Vancouver and Fort St. John resumed later that day with a minimal delay.
The delay lasted for over two hours, with the flight eventually departing at approximately 11:00 AM.
Richmond RCMP say the man was refusing to comply with airline staff direction.
“Richmond RCMP learnt the man was on the wrong flight and despite multiple requests by airline staff and RCMP he refused to exit the airplane,” Corporal Adriana O’Malley told CJDC-TV. “For their safety, Richmond RCMP instructed the flight crew and all other passengers to exit the aircraft.
The man was arrested without incident, according to RCMP.
There is no word if charges have been laid as a result.