Two Unruly Passengers Forced Sunwing Flight to Return to Toronto

A Sunwing flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada, on the evening of August 27.

The flight 656 was on its way from Toronto to Varadero, Cuba, when “two unruly female passengers” caused disturbance in the flight. According to Janine Chapman, vice-president of marketing for Sunwing, “It is reported that the passengers consumed a significant quantity of their duty free alcohol purchase in the lavatory and lit a cigarette, triggering the smoke detector alarm…These passengers proceeded to get into a physical altercation with each other and made a threat against the aircraft, which was considered non-credible given their condition.”

The pilot reported the situation to the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) which then sent 2 Canadian Forces CF-18 fighters from CFB Bagotville, Quebec, to escort the flight back to Pearson airport. Chapman said, “Our flight crew followed the appropriate procedures and the aircraft was diverted back to Toronto where it has now landed.”

The two passengers were arrested by the police. They are facing charges of smoking on board an aircraft, endangering safety of an aircraft, mischief endangering safety, and uttering threats.

The flight was preparing to take off for Cuba late night on Wednesday.