Swoop

[Heliian]

Could this be that an FA turned around and said they would not fly with a sick passenger and the Captain's hands were tied and that's why no evaluation seemed to have been completed?

I've certainly been told in enough CRM classes that when someone decides to deny boarding, the Captain cannot override that decision. While it is always linked to the Interference with Crew Members', it is strongly hinted that it applies to all events.

I would suggest that this perhaps happened. However, as a Captain, I would want a few things first. First where is your PAX assessment form and have you called MedLink? If those two are completed and under the Dr. from MedLink's advice we deplane them fine. If the Dr. says go and FA STILL won't go that's when you have a heart to heart. As in "Are you a Dr.? Are you sure you want to push this situation when a Dr. has advised it is OK for the PAX to travel?" I would bet the FA would change their mind fast. Most of the FAs at Swoop are kids themselves!

As for the re-booking, what pisses me off is situations like this where if the family had bought cancellation insurance it would have been a non event. Call the insurance company, tell them look the kid was denied boarding due to vomiting. Great your in Canada? We recommend you go to the hospital, however that's your choice. Book new tickets, and a hotel for the night as required, send us the bill. END OF STORY. If you are taking a trip and spending a lot of money on tickets perhaps the insurance is worth it! As a kid on no less than two occasions my family had to cancel trips or come home early and has used travel insurance. Once my brother woke up with an ear infection the way early AM before departure, off to the ER and a no fly from the doctor. Once Mom and Dad had to come home early form a trip to attend to a family member. Both times full reimbursement for the lost vacation or early tickets. Don't go whinging to the media just because something does not go your way when you travel.

Was Swoop's customer service shite? Absolutely, but if you have tickets to a hockey game, and don't make it or leave after 2min because your kid is sick do you expect the Canucks or Leafs to give you ones to another game? No that seat has expired. Why should an airline? If you are not willing or able to pay the insurance don't whine if you don't make it! FYI the insurance would have cost them about $80 or less than 10% of the ticket price.

Hahaha, "insurance will just pay", funniest thing I've read today. That's not their business.

[YYZSaabGuy]

Hahaha, "insurance will just pay", funniest thing I've read today. That's not their business.

Actually, my wife and I had to cancel a Caribbean vacation last year about a week before departure, for medical reasons. Fortunately, we had purchased travel insurance. The claims process was straightforward, the documentation requirements not unreasonable, and the claim was paid by the insurer, in full, within a couple of weeks, no questions asked. YMMV, of course.

[TheStig]

Was Swoop's customer service shite? Absolutely, but if you have tickets to a hockey game, and don't make it or leave after 2min because your kid is sick do you expect the Canucks or Leafs to give you ones to another game? No that seat has expired. Why should an airline?

I don't agree with this analogy. I'm in the business of flying people to where they've paid my salary to take them. The crew didn't fail here, the airline did. Instances where passengers are denied boarding or deplaned are rare but I would like to think that once they've been removed from flight that my airline would attempt to accommodate them as best as possible within reason. Westjet was the gold standard for this in the first 10 years they were in business. This family has every right to feel ripped off, but maybe if Gregg could explain the business case for protecting the bottom of the market to them and they would understand why.

[rookiepilot]

Why was the entire family removed from the flight?

[cjet]

In my experience at WJ if any pax has vomited on A/C before departure and Medlink has been called pax will be denied boarding. Captain has no choice but to listen to Medlink’s decision.

CJet