A woman claims that she was booted off a WestJet flight because she used the lavatory too many times before her flight took off. But it wasn’t the lavatory use that was the problem…the problem was that she was sick…
Passenger With Upset Stomach Kicked Off Flight After Using Lavatory Too Often
Joanna Chiu was flying on WestJet from Mexico and not having a great morning in terms of her stomach. As she shared on X:
“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. No promise of a hotel or rebooked flight. I had meds and was on the mend. Some customer service.”
She was quizzed by flight attendants as to why she was using the lavatory so often and admitted that she was dealing with an upset stomach.
Ground staff came onboard and removed her. A WestJet supervisor purportedly was very rude to Chiu and refused to provide her a reference number for her rebooked flight (the following day) or help with taxi or hotel expenses due to the involuntary nature of the flight change.
We were in the baggage area and I started filming the exchange. This @WestJet supervisor said that unless I deleted the video I wouldn’t be able to get on a flight tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/7WooDRieoJ
— Joanna Chiu (@joannachiu) February 10, 2024
When she started recording, the supervisor threatened to cancel her ticket altogether.
A security guard and other WestJet staff member were able to calm everyone down. Chiu retuned to her hotel and flew back the next day.
In retrospect, Chiu offers the following advice:
“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…
“My last word: Check whether your destination is known for stomach bugs. Take probiotics etc. If you’re asked to deplane, take the time to gather wallet, passport, medications. Duolingo proved useful and off-line translation apps. If staff is abusive, ask for another to help you.”
I find myself not overly sympathetic to Ms. Chiu. Her tweet above demanding a cab voucher and calling the supervisor an a**hole makes her seem quite entitled and she’s absolutely rude to travel at all and expose so many other people to sickness if she’s dealing with a stomach bug so bad she’s constantly having to use the lavatory.
In her defense, had she not tried to take the flight WestJet might have charged her an arm and a leg to rebook it the following day. But I still wish people would not travel when sick…it’s just rude.
CONCLUSION
A woman was removed from a WestJet flight in Mexico because she was deemed to be too sick to fly. I tend to think that was the right call…and that her protestations are dripping with entitlement. At the same time, there is no excuse for any airline supervisor to be rude. If he was rude, he needs retraining too.
> Read More: To The Coughing, Spitting Man On My United Airlines Flight…
Better to stay away from the street food anywhere .
Proving once again the China Virus is still dangerous regardless of what the mask deniers want to argue.
Lol Not sure what Covid has to do with someone getting an upset stomach in Mexico…
@Aaron . +1 . I did support the wearing of masks in airplanes .
Mexican food! That’s the problem.
@Santastico … Perhaps the water ?
You bring a very good point. It could definitely be the water/ice but my interactions with Mexican food have always been terrible. I don’t like it and when I eat it is not a good ending. As for water, I know this new generation thinks they are saving the planet by using refillable water bottler. Good for them. Save the planet and kill yourself. I never ever drink anything other than bottled water outside of the US. Even in Europe I live their sparkling waters. Drinking tap water or anything with ice cubs in Asia, Latin America or Africa is asking for trouble. Never do that.
What does an anti-environmental diatribe have to do with avoiding getting in sick in Mexico?
Are you OK? Have you saved any stuffed animals today? I invite you to go to Vietnam and not drink bottled water. Just bring your “save the planet” bottle and fill it up at a regular faucet there.
I’m not the one being triggered on this issue, mi pequeño copo de nieve lol
To be fair, places like Switzerland and Austria has some of the best tap water in the world. I’ve been told Iceland as well, so long as you don’t drink any of the “hot” water (never tried)…
But yeah, I was at Thailand and Cambodia, and was on high alert. And other under developed places… tap water is a disaster waiting to happen
Myself , I like Perrier , Pssssst .
Funny to see you calling other people “entitled” ….
You should look harder for the economy class reviews…
This incident was handled correctly for the most part. If you are still running the bathroom, don’t fly. Even food poisoning can be contagious on surfaces when you are actively sick. And from another of Matthew’s posts last year, a significant amount of people do not wash their hands!
@Maryland … +1 . ( only you and I and surgeons ).
@Maryland … I meant : only you and I and surgeons Always wash our hands .)
The part that bothered me was the blackmail to delete the video. I don’t know what rights Canadians have regarding recording.
You aren’t allowed to film in most airports. Has nothing to do with being Canadian. This was a Mexican airport. As a “journalist” she should know better.
At least she had a bathroom to go to. I was on KL601 with no bathrooms for the first hour and then 1 bathroom for the rest of the flight and we were going to LA. She would have had a serious accident on that flight.
I’m going to do a story on your flight, Felix! Thanks for keeping me informed on Twitter.
Something similar happened to me on a DL flight within the US. I’d just gotten back from a TATL flight on the US East Coast, had a few days of work in the Southeast then was headed back to the US West Coast. During my work “layover”, I developed a sinus infection, to which I’m prone. I wasn’t near my GP so I couldn’t get the usual AmoxiClav Rx that clears it up in about 24 hours. Instead, I was pounding water in the hopes that would flush it out. I was fortunately in F and on the aisle, but I must’ve used the lav about 10-11 times on that transcon and the FA pulled me aside and asked if everything was okay. I told her about the sinus infection and how I was trying to hydrate it away. I *think*, though, she may have thought I was snorting rails in the lav or something. Either way, my constant lav use was absolutely noticed that it warranted a side discussion.
Traveling and catching something is tough. I have some medical issues that always cause me to be careful when I travel. I feel bad for the lady since being sick sucks and having to travel is even worse. You don’t want to travel while sick but at the same time you just want to get home and be miserable in your own place.
Makes one wonder how people with ileostomies and IBS travel. I’ll never forget the pax seated next to a person with a urostomy that received a bath when the bag bursted.