(CNN) — Some members of a rowdy group shown dancing, drinking and vaping maskless aboard a flight to Cancun find themselves stranded in Mexico after their return flight to Canada was scrubbed and other airlines have declined to fly them home.
The group flew to Cancun from Montreal on December 30 aboard a Sunwing Airlines charter flight for a trip organized by “exclusive private group” 111 Private Club.
Video of the party on board, which shows passengers dancing and drinking in the aisles, has sparked outrage in Canada. An investigation by Transport Canada is underway, and passengers could face hefty fines or worse.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday he was “extremely frustrated” with the incident.
“It’s a slap in the face to see people putting themselves, putting their fellow citizens, putting airline workers at risk by being completely irresponsible,” Trudeau said at a briefing.
Awad said he chartered a private plane to “ensure everyone’s safety” and took the additional step of getting the passengers tested for Covid before they left Montreal.
Sunwing canceled their return flight, which was scheduled for January 5, because the group did not agree to terms it outlined, the airline said.
Air Canada and Air Transat have both said they will not fly the travelers home, citing the safety of other passengers and crew.
Return flight negotiations
According to Awad’s statement, the sticking point in his negotiations with Sunwing about the return flight was in-flight meal service.
He said he agreed to no alcohol service on board, passengers boarding “in a sober condition” and a number of other terms.
“We couldn’t conclude an agreement because Sunwing refused to Provide Meals to the group for a 5h flight,” Awad’s statement reads.
Sunwing did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment on the terms of the return flight.
In an earlier statement, the airline said passengers’ behavior on board was “unruly and contravened several Canadian Aviation Regulations as well as public health regulations.”
The airline launched its own investigation after the flight and notified Transport Canada, Sunwing said.
“As a result of our ongoing investigation and the group’s refusal to accept all terms of carriage, we have made the decision to cancel the return flight,” the statement said.
The decision was made to ensure the safety of crew and passengers, the airline said. It also noted that it will support Transport Canada’s investigation of the incident.
Awad said 111 Private Club is working to get all of the trip participants home “as quickly as we can.”
“This was my first travel event,” he said in his statement. “I have significantly learned, and I am still learning from this experience.”
Possible fines for passengers
Transport Canada said earlier this week that the department has been in contact with Sunwing and said that passengers could face fines of up to $5,000 Canadian dollars (about US$3,900) per offense.
The department also cautioned that any traveler convicted of providing false information to the government upon entry to Canada could face very steep fines or jail time.
Quebec closed schools, bars, casinos and other public venues and made teleworking mandatory on December 20 as Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations increased.
CNN’s Raja Razek contributed to this report.
