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it all started with an all-inclusive vacation...
Riu Emerald Bay, Mazatlan, Mexico
We hadn't had a vacation alone together for almost 6 years, after having two children. We were eager for our visit to Mazatlan, Mexico, booked through Toronto-based itravel2000.com as the travel agent, and Sunwing Vacations as the service provider. We were certainly nervous to leave our beautiful girls, ages 5 and 3 years old, at home with family - we knew that we would miss them terribly. The one-week trip departed Toronto airport the morning of Tuesday, January 29th (we travelled to Toronto the night before), and included the hotel and airport transfers, returning Tuesday, February 5th.
one-week of relaxation
We knew that there were some horror stories in the media but we weren't worried: We wanted to do nothing more than lie in the sun and read. We aren't a partying couple: Our days consisted of lying on the beach and reading, sipping a few pina coladas, speaking to our children once daily, and being asleep by 9pm nightly. We were rested, relaxed and ready to return to Canada at the end of our trip.
time to return to canada
On Tuesday, February 5th, we were up by 5am. The shuttle would leave the hotel at 7am, so at 6:30am we were in the lobby, ready to go. We arrived at the airport in Mazatlan, along with three coaches full of fellow travellers. We checked in and had cleared Security more than two hours before the flight was scheduled to depart. We had enjoyed a great vacation, but were now eager to see our girls.
airport ear problems
While browsing the duty-free shop prior to departure, husband noticed that wife had blood in her ear. Having no indication that anything had been wrong, wife headed to the washroom, and tried to use tissue to clean the ear and determine the problem.
Given that blood was coming from inner ear, we needed to determine whether blood was coming from cut to ear, or elsewhere. We proceeded to the Boarding Gate and requested a paramedic. The paramedic spoke no English, and although couple asked Sunwing, airport staff, and fellow passengers if anyone spoke Spanish AND English, no one did (or didn't speak up if they did) - only a baggage handler who spoke a few words of English could be found. Paramedic confirmed that ear drum has slight perforation (happens with some ear infections). Satisfied that this is just minor, we sat down and verified via wifi that not only is it SAFE to travel with perforated ear drum, but also that in fact it can be more pleasant for those with ear infections because the hole means no pressure variation between inner and outer ear.
Given that blood was coming from inner ear, we needed to determine whether blood was coming from cut to ear, or elsewhere. We proceeded to the Boarding Gate and requested a paramedic. The paramedic spoke no English, and although couple asked Sunwing, airport staff, and fellow passengers if anyone spoke Spanish AND English, no one did (or didn't speak up if they did) - only a baggage handler who spoke a few words of English could be found. Paramedic confirmed that ear drum has slight perforation (happens with some ear infections). Satisfied that this is just minor, we sat down and verified via wifi that not only is it SAFE to travel with perforated ear drum, but also that in fact it can be more pleasant for those with ear infections because the hole means no pressure variation between inner and outer ear.
what we didn't expect - boarding denied
As the paramedic and Sunwing gate attendants discussed the matter in Spanish, they requested the couple's boarding cards. They asked wife to complete a form identifying the problem, which we think is procedual for having used the paramedic: "Mild bleeding from ear due to ear perforation; no pain; no hearing loss; feel fine" (all of this being at the time). They told us to wait, and as we stood at the gate, with no one telling us what was happening, Sunwing called another couple to the counter, and said "you were waiting for seats together? Two seats just opened up" and with that, our seats were reassigned. We demanded to know what was going on, and after repeated questions were told that the paramedic said that we couldn't fly. We asked to speak to a Doctor; the Captain; anyone who could understand English. We tried to show them the web pages from the US National Institute of Health and Mayo Clinic, which identified that air travel was fine - no one would listen. They commenced boarding, and wife collapsed in tears....this was the ONLY flight to Toronto on Sunwing for another week...missing this flight meant another week in Mexico...missing our children who were too young to understand why Mommy and Daddy weren't coming home. Sunwing wouldn't answer our questions, nor our pleas for a higher authority than a non-English speaking Paramedic. They waited until all passengers had walked onto the tarmac and then returned our luggage to us. A Sunwing rep who spoke only in Spanish indicated that we were to follow her, and marched us back through the airport, wife in tears.
RETURNING THROUGH AIRPORT
We had to return through Mexican Customs because we had technically left. In broken English, we were told that we had to obtain a note from a doctor indicating that it was okay to fly. As we walked through the airport, those travellers who had just arrived from Toronto to commence their one week stay (we would have taken their arrival plane home), were approaching their Sunwing representative to find their shuttles to their hotels. Our escort brought us to this Sunwing representative, who spoke English. She told us to go to the Westjet counter, and she would return to meet us there to help us; we waited hours...we never saw her or anyone else from Sunwing Airlines again after that, and to this day.
WESTJET OFFERS SOME limited ASSISTANCE
The Sunwing counters were now empty: In Mazatlan, Sunwing operates only twice weekly: Tuesdays they process Toronto arrivals/departures and Fridays they process Calgary arrivals/departures. Once the arrivals have boarded their shuttles, and the departures boarded the plane, Sunwing leaves the airport and representatives now work out of the hotels. With no one from Sunwing to help us, we proceeded to WestJet. We explained our situation, and WestJet advised that if we had been travelling with them, they would have immediately arranged new flights for us at their cost while we checked in with a doctor, and that furthermore they wouldn't have denied us boarding like this anyhow. Because we were with Sunwing, WestJet could only offer us their phone, and allow us to start making long distance phone calls at their expense. They also visited different airlines at the airport on our behalves, checking to see who had availability to fly us home amongst the remaining airlines.
Toll-free numbers don't work from Mexico for itravel2000, Sunwing, or our insurance provider. We had to access the internet with our cellphones that we had thankfully brought with us, in order to find phone numbers that might work....an incredibly frustrating exercise. We spent over two hours at the WestJet counter, making phone calls. Using WestJet's phone, we spoke with the Sunwing Supervisor, whose office was on the other side of the City: She said that she could do nothing to help us until we saw a Doctor and had the all clear to fly. What she didn't say was that she wouldn't help us even after this was obtained.
Toll-free numbers don't work from Mexico for itravel2000, Sunwing, or our insurance provider. We had to access the internet with our cellphones that we had thankfully brought with us, in order to find phone numbers that might work....an incredibly frustrating exercise. We spent over two hours at the WestJet counter, making phone calls. Using WestJet's phone, we spoke with the Sunwing Supervisor, whose office was on the other side of the City: She said that she could do nothing to help us until we saw a Doctor and had the all clear to fly. What she didn't say was that she wouldn't help us even after this was obtained.
$40 taxi to hospital
We were now on our own...no shuttle...not speaking Spanish. We approached the airport taxi stand to request a taxi to Sharp Hospital in Mazatlan; the airport worker who determines what "zone" you are travelling to couldn't understand us. "El Medico" we stated, and she would respond that "si, is Mexico". Eventually, we arrived at the hopsital, with all of our luggage in tow. The wonderful Doctor and nurse here looked at the ear, put a cottonball in it, prescribed some antibiotics, and advised that yes, wife is fine to fly, and confirm that this never should have been an issue at all. After spending $60 on medications (that we could easily have obtained after our five-hour flight home to Canada), husband called Sunwing Supervisor. She tells us to return to the hotel we had been staying at, and that she has booked us back in for one night - at our cost despite Sunwing's incredible error.
$12 taxi to HOtel
When we returned to the hotel we were not allowed to enter with the ease we had upon our first arrival - we were no longer with a tour bus, and without wrist bracelets on, we were permitted entrance only if we agreed that we will be guests of the hotel. A Sunwing hotel representative is here, and passed us the phone - his Supervisor advised us that the hotel cost is ours to pay, and also that there is no way that we are leaving Mazatlan tonight, so we'd best stay.
$175 hotel room - SUNWING ABANDONS US
As we're being checked in (again) it is around 3pm. We haven't had anything to eat or drink all day. Sunwing will not allow us to use their cellphone - too expensive they say. The hotel allowed us to use their phone to make collect calls, and use their computer for internet access. The Sunwing Supervisor, Lupita, called the Sunwing hotel representative, Giovanni, and tells us that we will have to find flights back to Canada ourselves, or pay to stay in the hotel for one week, then fly back on Tuesday of next week - at our cost.
We could not, and still cannot, comprehend why this should be our cost. We battled, and battled with Sunwing, and arranged for the Head of Sunwing in Mexico, Stewart Thompson, to call us at 4:15pm. When he did, he reiterated that Sunwing will not pay for us to return to Canada; he explained that we paid for our seats on the plane that left, and we weren't on it, so Sunwing did provide the service. We explain that we didn't choose to not be on the plane - it was Sunwing's decision...one that they wouldn't allow us any option to have overturned.
Lupita informs husband, by phone, that her first search revealed a flight path of leaving Mazatlan the next day, taking us to Los Angeles, where we would have to spend the night, then to New York, then to Toronto. We would have to book and pay for all of this ourselves - at a cost of $2,000 EACH. She informed us that we'll have better luck finding something ourselves, but that Sunwing can't do anything to help us. Both Lupita and Stewart tell us that we can pursue it further upon our return to Canada, but that they can no longer help us in Mexico.
Don't think another night at an all-inclusive was a bonus: We were making phone calls until 6pm, dropped our luggage in our new room, then took 20 minutes to eat dinner. We had to immediately return to our rooms in case anyone called us from Sunwing, itravel2000, the insurance company, etc. We never returned to the beach or visited the pool...we sat on our beds, frustrated, with no wifi service in the room, and waited. We couldn't sleep that night. Our hearts ached for our girls...seven days without them was hard enough.
We could not, and still cannot, comprehend why this should be our cost. We battled, and battled with Sunwing, and arranged for the Head of Sunwing in Mexico, Stewart Thompson, to call us at 4:15pm. When he did, he reiterated that Sunwing will not pay for us to return to Canada; he explained that we paid for our seats on the plane that left, and we weren't on it, so Sunwing did provide the service. We explain that we didn't choose to not be on the plane - it was Sunwing's decision...one that they wouldn't allow us any option to have overturned.
Lupita informs husband, by phone, that her first search revealed a flight path of leaving Mazatlan the next day, taking us to Los Angeles, where we would have to spend the night, then to New York, then to Toronto. We would have to book and pay for all of this ourselves - at a cost of $2,000 EACH. She informed us that we'll have better luck finding something ourselves, but that Sunwing can't do anything to help us. Both Lupita and Stewart tell us that we can pursue it further upon our return to Canada, but that they can no longer help us in Mexico.
Don't think another night at an all-inclusive was a bonus: We were making phone calls until 6pm, dropped our luggage in our new room, then took 20 minutes to eat dinner. We had to immediately return to our rooms in case anyone called us from Sunwing, itravel2000, the insurance company, etc. We never returned to the beach or visited the pool...we sat on our beds, frustrated, with no wifi service in the room, and waited. We couldn't sleep that night. Our hearts ached for our girls...seven days without them was hard enough.
TRAVEL INSURANCE PERSPECTIVE
Our travel insurance company told us that they will pay to return wife to Canada only if deemed medically necessary; that rarely is an ear infection a medical emergency. Furthermore, because husband was fine to fly, he could have flown home, so they won't pay for him. We understand this, but Sunwing never gave him the option to fly home: Remember, they took BOTH of our boarding passes, removed ALL of our luggage, and reassigned BOTH of our seats. The insurance company told us that we do need proof that Sunwing denied us boarding, so we ask the Sunwing hotel representative to obtain a copy of the form filled out at the airport that was used to "assess" medical condition - after making a call, Giovanni says that this won't be possible. We asked Sunwing for a letter that says that we were denied boarding for medical reasons, and Giovanni, Sunwing hotel rep, says that this letter will be emailed to us first thing in the morning (06 FEB) from Toronto, to both our email addresses (husband and wife). The letter would never come.
travel agent perspective
The travel agent, itravel2000, was phoned collect from the hotel; initially they were very supportive, and told us that the denial was due to medical reasons, so as soon as a Doctor declared wife fit to fly, the condition that had to be met was met, and the airline had to fulfill their end and provide the service that was paid for. itravel2000 started speaking with the Sunwing hotel rep, but the Sunwing rep was becoming rude, and was also taking calls on his cellphone from his Supervisor, while speaking to itravel2000 on the hotel phone.
Giovanni told the travel agent that he had a solution for us, and that he was going to end the call so that he could explain it to us. He stated that he would not allow the travel agent rep to listen in. Wife, having lost faith now in Sunwing, asked that Giovanni explain the "resolution" to husband while she held with the travel agent. Giovanni proposed that husband and wife travel six hours by bus (it was now almost 5pm) to Puerta Vallarta, and take the next flight to Toronto via Sunwing from Puerta Vallarta; when we asked when the flight was, Giovanni claimed not to know, despite the fact that he had been on the phone with his Supervisor multiple times over the past few hours. We checked the internet and found that it wasn't until Monday...six days later. Also, he couldn't assure us that this would be paid for by Sunwing, and ultimately the Supervisor informed us that it would not be covered.
Giovanni told the travel agent that he had a solution for us, and that he was going to end the call so that he could explain it to us. He stated that he would not allow the travel agent rep to listen in. Wife, having lost faith now in Sunwing, asked that Giovanni explain the "resolution" to husband while she held with the travel agent. Giovanni proposed that husband and wife travel six hours by bus (it was now almost 5pm) to Puerta Vallarta, and take the next flight to Toronto via Sunwing from Puerta Vallarta; when we asked when the flight was, Giovanni claimed not to know, despite the fact that he had been on the phone with his Supervisor multiple times over the past few hours. We checked the internet and found that it wasn't until Monday...six days later. Also, he couldn't assure us that this would be paid for by Sunwing, and ultimately the Supervisor informed us that it would not be covered.
$900 FLIGHTS HOME
While itravel2000 had been holding and Giovanni had been proposing something that was not a solution but rather his attempt to get us off the phone from the travel agent, we found a flight to Mexico City on itravel2000's webpage. We asked to be transferred to the Sales department, and booked this. Eventually, we would have to fly from Mazatlan to Mexico City...Mexico City to Atlanta, Georgia...Atlanta home to Toronto.
$40 taxi to return to airport
When we checked in to our first flight, on Aero Mexico from Mazatlan, their counter agent already knew the whole story (it's a small airport). He too expressed disbelief, and said that it never should have happened, and that his airline would have paid for us to get home. Between flights we kept checking for the letter from Sunwing to provide to the insurance company - they never sent it, nor did they reply to our two emails reminding them that this was needed.
drive home from toronto to windsor
We were exhausted and had eaten only airline snacks and a sandwich in 48 hours, and had slept only two hours in the same period of time. We cleared Canadian Customs, took a shuttle to the original hotel car park, where we ended up sharing the shuttle with the captain, co-pilot and two flight attendants of an american airline. We shared our experience we them...never in their careers had they heard of someone being denied boarding for such a thing, nor failing to then arrange to return them home once a fit to travel note was provided. We drove home, weary and shocked, but motivated by our excitement to see our girls.
aftermath so far
We cannot file the insurance claim without all details; we need the proof from Sunwing that we were denied boarding but they won't respond. Sunwing Mexico's head refuses to refund our flights. All costs incurred so far have been borne by us; if the insurance company does pay, it will be for wife's return flight only. We both missed work on Wednesday and Thursday as we travelled home, and our children, who had been going by a "count down calendar" they had made previously (see image at left), were long past the "home" image, and were upset. We were in complete disbelief that a Canadian company could treat their customers in this way.
We have emailed Sunwing twice and they have not responded. When we tried to call their Customer Service department FOUR times last night, we were advised each time that we were being transferred to Customer Service, but each time the call was disconnected. (On the fourth time we recorded this). The fourth Sunwing rep we spoke to on Thursday night told us that it takes 6 - 8 weeks for Sunwing to reply to an email. We have tweeted the Company's President and he has not responded - same goes for the Corporate Twitter account. (By the way, we also tweeted WestJet to say thanks; they responded in less than 12 hours).
To date, Sunwing has not responded to anything. Sunwing abandoned us in Mexico, offered no help, and now won't return communications. We will never, never, fly Sunwing again, and will make it our mission to ensure that others are aware of this experience so they can make their own call.
We have emailed Sunwing twice and they have not responded. When we tried to call their Customer Service department FOUR times last night, we were advised each time that we were being transferred to Customer Service, but each time the call was disconnected. (On the fourth time we recorded this). The fourth Sunwing rep we spoke to on Thursday night told us that it takes 6 - 8 weeks for Sunwing to reply to an email. We have tweeted the Company's President and he has not responded - same goes for the Corporate Twitter account. (By the way, we also tweeted WestJet to say thanks; they responded in less than 12 hours).
To date, Sunwing has not responded to anything. Sunwing abandoned us in Mexico, offered no help, and now won't return communications. We will never, never, fly Sunwing again, and will make it our mission to ensure that others are aware of this experience so they can make their own call.
don't think this can't happen to you
Remember...it was an ear infection that wife didn't even know that she had. It could happen to anyone. Fly with an airline that would help you. Aeromexico, Delta and WestJet were all very helpful and all said that they would never have abandoned their customers like this, nor made them pay (again) to come home. Google searches and frequently referenced website like Travelocity reveal that there are hundreds of complaints out there regarding Sunwing, and that the Toronto Sun, amongst others, has published articles revealing terrible actions by, and lawsuits against Sunwing.
Sunwing "post travel" customer service doesn't accept phone calls - answers emails within "6 - 8 weeks"
After being advised last night that the Sunwing "post travel" Customer Service department is open from 9am - 5pm, we telephoned this morning, and the Sunwing rep that answered didn't even seem to know herself what their hours were; she told us that it's just a voicemail box (the one we couldn't connect to last night). The voicemail greeting indicates that they will not communicate by phone; only in writing. Of course, we've sent two emails already, so no sense leaving a voicemail to tell them to answer their email. We recorded the call.
UPDATE: we have witnesses!!
We got the news yesterday through the inevitable six degrees of separation (two degrees in this case), that some Kingston residents can now independently confirm what happened at the boarding gate! This is awesome news!
12 FEB 2013 UPDATE: The letter sunwing was to send by 10am 06feb comes one week later!
We received a reply from Sunwing today...in fact, yesterday we received an acknowledgement to our THIRD email sent to them (sent that morning. We're wondering....is this because they finally got to it....OR (and more likely), is it because media outlets and a wonderful, wonderful consumer advocate have corresponded with Sunwing? Whatever the reason, it's progress.
Sunwing's response was as expected - no offer to do anything for us. But we had to laugh out loud at a few of their statements. For instance, they express surprise that we didn't leave a voicemail message as they claim that they would have returned the call; apparently they aren't familiar with their own voicemail box greeting (per the video at the bottom of this page), which clearly indicates that they will communicate in writing ONLY!
They also attempt to allege that they didn't know how to reach us...after we had tweeted their company; tweeted their President several times; sent two emails; given our contact information to three of their counterparts in Mexico; purchased travel from them wherein our telephone number and other contact info had to be provided. We need to get SNL's Seth & Amy in for a new episode of "Really?!!"
Here's a copy of our reponse to Sunwing sent tonight (the author of Sunwing's letter uses one name only): OUR RESPONSE TO SUNWING RESPONSE
Sunwing's response was as expected - no offer to do anything for us. But we had to laugh out loud at a few of their statements. For instance, they express surprise that we didn't leave a voicemail message as they claim that they would have returned the call; apparently they aren't familiar with their own voicemail box greeting (per the video at the bottom of this page), which clearly indicates that they will communicate in writing ONLY!
They also attempt to allege that they didn't know how to reach us...after we had tweeted their company; tweeted their President several times; sent two emails; given our contact information to three of their counterparts in Mexico; purchased travel from them wherein our telephone number and other contact info had to be provided. We need to get SNL's Seth & Amy in for a new episode of "Really?!!"
Here's a copy of our reponse to Sunwing sent tonight (the author of Sunwing's letter uses one name only): OUR RESPONSE TO SUNWING RESPONSE
15 feb 2013 update: sunwing needs an additional week to reply to last letter
We have to say that Sunwing is being polite and we are pleased that they are replying. This is progress. It in no way makes up for leaving parents of preschoolers/dedicated workers with careers stranded in Mexico and telling them to find their own way back to Canada...but it's progress. It's unfortunate that it required all of this noise just to get noticed - it's a small wonder there are 55 complaints recorded on the Better Business Bureau website. They advise that they will have a reply for us by February 22...we can only hope that they are going to do the right thing.