A New Brunswick couple are calling for an apology from Sunwing after they say their vacation turned into a nightmare, especially for their young son, who is autistic.
Alden and Pauline Paul, along with their son Kassian, were trying to return home from their trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic earlier this month when their flight was delayed no fewer than 10 times.
“It’s just sad that everything went the way it did because we only had that one week to make memories and it was nothing but a struggle,” Pauline said.
Seven-year-old Kassian is non-verbal, and the family had spoken with Sunwing before their departure about special accommodations he would need. The airline had allowed them to move to the front of the line during check-in, for example, and was aware of Kassian’s needs.
“The reason why is because of his high sensory needs, and he’s also a flight risk. Because of the fact that our son will elope. Because he does not understand the dangers in everyday life,” Alden said.
“It really hinders us from trying to more or less enjoy a trip when we’re at the airport because of the fact that we’re watching where all the exits are. ‘Where can he go that he shouldn’t be going?’ And if you give him the opportunity, he will go to those places.”
After enjoying a sunny getaway, the Paul family was ready to head home on Feb. 19. However, they were among the hundreds of other Sunwing customers caught up in flight cancellations and delays.
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Back-to-back winter storms had hit Eastern Canada and a Delta plane crash at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport had shut down two runways.
The Pauls were told to move to a different hotel while they waited for their delayed return flight to Fredericton.
Alden says a hotel manager initially agreed to let them keep their room so as not to disrupt Kassian’s routine, but a Sunwing representative called them a few hours later and insisted they switch hotels — despite their explanations about Kassian’s special needs.
“And then from there it just spiralled. It was it was delay after delay, after delay, after delay,” he said.
Their flight was cancelled or delayed 10 times over the course of four days.
The family was hesitant to go to the airport with each new promise of a flight, after seeing social media posts about other Sunwing passengers stuck in the terminals. Alden says they were trying to avoid taking Kassian from place to place.
“We were trying to avoid all that because it’s very difficult to do that to an autistic child, let alone any child, but not just a child whose comprehension of it all is just different,” he said.
“So we try to avoid any aggression or any frustration on my son’s part or having a meltdown, which is very common in children on the spectrum.”
Each time, Alden says they had to plead with Sunwing to keep their rooms because the prospect of being stuck in an airport long-term with Kassian was “unthinkable.”
“It seemed to us like they were doing whatever they can not to accommodate you,” he said.
“And they refused to allow us to pay for our rooms.”
When they finally got back to New Brunswick on Feb. 22, they were so fed up, they left their luggage behind.
The Pauls are seeking an apology from the airline, compensation and improved policies for travellers with special needs.
Global News reached out to Sunwing for a response but did not hear back by Friday.
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