Author Kicked Off Flight After Excessive Bathroom Use

Following news of the incident, WestJet sent this statement to TooFab, in which they apologized to Chiu for the ordeal. "We sincerely apologize to Ms. Chiu for the inconvenience and discomfort she experienced during her recent travel experience, including the communication delay that occurred as she awaited an appropriate re-accommodation option," the statement read. "Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority and therefore we take any health-related concerns very seriously. While unexpected illness can occur while travelling, maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all guests and crew members is paramount," the statement continued. "In circumstances where a guest is deemed unfit to travel due to illness, our crew are trained to make difficult, but required decisions in the name of safety." WestJet also noted that they immediately reached out to Chiu after learning about her experience on X. "Upon learning of Ms. Chiu's experience via X last week, our Social Care team immediately reached out directly to her to ensure she was provided with a re-accommodation option and to receive any feedback on her experience," WestJet added. Tooted and booted! A ticked off traveler is coming for Canadian airline, West Jet, after she was kicked off one of their flights for excessive bathroom use before takeoff. Author Joanna Chiu took to X (née Twitter) Friday where she detailed the incident -- but she didn't exactly get the response she was expecting, with many saying the airline's flight attendants were correct to eject her. "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," the writer wrote. "No promise of a hotel or rebooked flight. I had meds and was on the mend." "If you're sick before a flight, hold it in…" she added. Chiu was flying back to her home town of Vancouver, Canada following a trip in Mexico, but didn't say from which part of the Latin American country she was departing. After being told to leave the plane, Chiu claimed she was rushed off and nearly left her money on board the aircraft, adding that a "WestJet supervisor refused to pay for my taxi to a hotel 20 min away." After the encounter with the allegedly aggressive supervisor, the author says she "burst into tears" before getting in touch with another airline representative. "She was much nicer but refused to give me a booking reference for my rebooked flight. She told me to just come back to the airport tomorrow and ask at the counter," Chiu explained in the lengthy X thread. "WestJet DM'd me my booking reference number after I had asked for it repeatedly at the airport," she continued. "I ended up getting in the taxi because I was legitimately worried about getting arrested." Chiu shared a follow-up on X Sunday, in which she told her followers that she finally made it back to Vancouver, and advised travelers to "check whether your destination is known for stomach bugs." "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," she added. Chiu was again met with a mixed response, with some saying that the airplane bathroom is there for exactly this reason, while others chastised her for boarding the plane despite knowing she was under the weather. "You are wrong for this. Many stomach bugs are extremely contagious, an entire flight could be taken down by one selfish person," one user wrote, with a former flight attendant adding, "As a former flight attendant, they made the right call. I can't vouch for how they communicated to/with you, but the decision wasn't wrong." Some on the more understanding side shared their sympathies for Chiu, with one user tweeting, "That's awful! Really adding insult to injury. Hope you feel better soon."

Moderated by Tomas Kauer Moderated by Tomas Kauer
Feb 16, 2024 - 05:19
Author Kicked Off Flight After Excessive Bathroom Use

"If you're sick before a flight, hold it in…" author, Joanna Chiu, advised following the incident.

UPDATE 2:32 PM PT 2/14/24

Following news of the incident, WestJet sent this statement to TooFab, in which they apologized to Chiu for the ordeal.

"We sincerely apologize to Ms. Chiu for the inconvenience and discomfort she experienced during her recent travel experience, including the communication delay that occurred as she awaited an appropriate re-accommodation option," the statement read.

"Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority and therefore we take any health-related concerns very seriously. While unexpected illness can occur while travelling, maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all guests and crew members is paramount," the statement continued. "In circumstances where a guest is deemed unfit to travel due to illness, our crew are trained to make difficult, but required decisions in the name of safety."

WestJet also noted that they immediately reached out to Chiu after learning about her experience on X.

"Upon learning of Ms. Chiu's experience via X last week, our Social Care team immediately reached out directly to her to ensure she was provided with a re-accommodation option and to receive any feedback on her experience," WestJet added.

Original Story Below

Tooted and booted!

A ticked off traveler is coming for Canadian airline, West Jet, after she was kicked off one of their flights for excessive bathroom use before takeoff.

Author Joanna Chiu took to X (née Twitter) Friday where she detailed the incident -- but she didn't exactly get the response she was expecting, with many saying the airline's flight attendants were correct to eject her.

"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," the writer wrote. "No promise of a hotel or rebooked flight. I had meds and was on the mend."

"If you're sick before a flight, hold it in…" she added.

Chiu was flying back to her home town of Vancouver, Canada following a trip in Mexico, but didn't say from which part of the Latin American country she was departing.

After being told to leave the plane, Chiu claimed she was rushed off and nearly left her money on board the aircraft, adding that a "WestJet supervisor refused to pay for my taxi to a hotel 20 min away."

After the encounter with the allegedly aggressive supervisor, the author says she "burst into tears" before getting in touch with another airline representative.

"She was much nicer but refused to give me a booking reference for my rebooked flight. She told me to just come back to the airport tomorrow and ask at the counter," Chiu explained in the lengthy X thread.

"WestJet DM'd me my booking reference number after I had asked for it repeatedly at the airport," she continued. "I ended up getting in the taxi because I was legitimately worried about getting arrested."

Chiu shared a follow-up on X Sunday, in which she told her followers that she finally made it back to Vancouver, and advised travelers to "check whether your destination is known for stomach bugs."

"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," she added.

Chiu was again met with a mixed response, with some saying that the airplane bathroom is there for exactly this reason, while others chastised her for boarding the plane despite knowing she was under the weather.

"You are wrong for this. Many stomach bugs are extremely contagious, an entire flight could be taken down by one selfish person," one user wrote, with a former flight attendant adding, "As a former flight attendant, they made the right call. I can't vouch for how they communicated to/with you, but the decision wasn't wrong."

Some on the more understanding side shared their sympathies for Chiu, with one user tweeting, "That's awful! Really adding insult to injury. Hope you feel better soon."

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