WATCH: It was an unexpected ending for hundreds of Canadian travellers on a flight heading home from their vacations in Mexico. They suddenly found themselves, without any explanation, landing at Abbotsford International Airport. Julia Foy explains.
A flight from Mexico to Vancouver was forced to make an unexpected landing in Abbotsford Saturday night.
A Sunwing plane ran low on fuel and landed at Abbotsford International Airport just after 9 p.m. After safely touching ground, the plane spent an hour sitting on the tarmac before making its way to Vancouver International Airport.
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Sunwing spokesperson Janine Chapman confirmed to Global News that “Flight 262 made an unscheduled stop in Abbotsford to refuel before continuing on to Vancouver Airport.”
Chapman adds that, due to anticipated headwinds, 36 bags were removed from the plane “to reduce the aircraft weight in an effort to alleviate excess fuel burn.”
Passenger Paul Sutherland says he is not sure where his luggage is.
“You’re stuck. What are you going to do?” says Sutherland. “You hope that the people that you are flying with are going to be on your side and look after you.”
The Transportation Safety Board isn’t bothered by the missing luggage, but it is looking into Sunwing’s fuel shortage.
The incident marks the second unplanned landing for a Sunwing flight in two days. On Jan. 3, Flight SWG696 from Edmonton to Varadero, Cuba was forced to return back to Edmonton International Airport following a maintenance issue.
-with files from John Daly
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