The loo saga unfolded as Joanna Chiu spilled her guts, quite literally, on X (formerly Twitter), claiming her upset tummy got her the boot from her flight back to Vancouver from Mexico on February 10.
Chiu, battling a bellyache and armed with meds, found no sympathy from the WestJet crew, who, according to her, not only gave her the flick but also left her stranded without a hotel or a hint of help for a homeward flight. “If you’re feeling queasy, clamp it down!” she quipped in a tweetstorm that’s got everyone talking.
The plot thickens as Chiu recounts being hustled off the plane, cash left behind and tears a-flowing, only to face what she described as intimidation tactics by a WestJet employee who called in a guard.
The guard turned out to be the hero, however, recognising who the real troublemaker was!
WestJet, on the defense, insisted they were all about ‘health and safety’, stressing the importance of a germ-free journey for all. They expressed regret over Chiu’s ordeal but stood firm on their decision to prioritise passenger wellbeing over her bathroom breaks.
The court of public opinion jury was still out on whether Chiu was a victim of rigid airline rules or justly jettisoned for jeopardising germ-free travel. Some netizens are rallying behind her, calling the episode a nightmare, while others are slamming the door on any sympathy, labeling her actions as risky business for fellow flyers.
In a late-breaking twist, Chiu revealed WestJet had finally coughed up a booking reference for her return flight, but only after she turned her grievance into a public spectacle. She landed back in Vancouver with some sage advice for her fellow travelers: beware of belly bugs, and if quizzed by flight attendants about your health, just claim a teeny bladder!
WestJet, meanwhile, remains apologetic but unwavering, promising to fly the friendly skies with a safety-first mantra.
The debate rages on: Was Chiu’s bathroom blitz a foul play, or did WestJet flush away her rights?
We were in the baggage area and I started filming the exchange. This @WestJet supervisor said that unless I deleted the video I wouldn’t be able to get on a flight tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/7WooDRieoJ
— Joanna Chiu (@joannachiu) February 10, 2024
