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Sunwing Vacations passengers have faced extensive delays this week, resulting in travelers being stranded at the Cancun airport. Passengers experienced delay after delay, and frustrations extended far beyond just their canceled flights. Posts from homebound travelers say there has been a complete lack of accurate information about when they can expect to go home. Adding to their frustration, passengers also found that they often had no transportation or accommodation organized when their flights were canceled.
It’s unknown exactly how many travelers are affected at this point, but posts on social media claim that hundreds of passengers have been stranded. Sunwing’s online information says, “A number of northbound flights out of Cancun are facing multiple delays.” Weary passengers have experienced multiple delays over the past several days, and in many cases, passengers have missed all of their planned Christmas events at home. One passenger was scheduled to fly home on December 22, but her original flight had been rescheduled five times by Boxing day, and still with no confirmed flight out.
Passengers Don’t Know Who To Trust
@ctvnews A Canadian traveller in Cancun, Mexico, set to return home on Christmas Eve, was told last-minute by Sunwing Airlines that his flight had been delayed until Dec. 27, leaving him and dozens of other passengers stranded at the airport with nowhere to go. #mexico #cancun #airport #stranded #sunwing #travel #vacation ♬ original sound – CTVNews
Videos being posted online show dozens of people inside the Cancun airport chanting “Liars!” and “Take us home!” to overwhelmed Sunwing airport staff. Travelers report one of their biggest challenges is unreliable information from Sunwing. Several travelers spoke about showing up to a flight that Sunwing had rescheduled for them only to be told that the flight did not actually exist.
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Passengers still stuck at cancun , sunwing sent them to canaun airport yesterday morning, and left clients at cancun airport last night , they are told no flights today, earlysest flight time is tomorrow. @CBCNews @Tommy_Slick @GlobalCalgary pic.twitter.com/b8G6WB9cw2
— Laur_YYC 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@YB_IrieDuck) December 25, 2022
The ordeal for the passengers has left many frustrated, finding that on top of their canceled flights, they didn’t have ground transportation set up to the hotels organized by Sunwing. Passengers, in some cases, had to make their own way, paying for the taxi fares in order to reach their hotels. Some arrived at the location they were sent, only to be told that there was actually no reservation made for them at that hotel.
People have even had to sleep in the hotel lobby of hotels until they were finally given a room. Posts on social media describe a hotel lobby with people trying to sleep amidst screaming children while others passengers struggle trying to track down needed medications after multiple days of flight delays.
@beccafoster2017 #SUNWING WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Where are you?? GET US HOME WG508 CUN TO YEG. Its been 96 hours. Don’t forget about everyone else stranded when other flights are leaving successfully! There’s zero communication or support from any of your employees. Your website doesn’t even have correct flight information on it OR send email or SMS notifications anymore #fyp #foryoupage #viraltiktok #viralvideo #cancun #travel #ctvnews #globalnews #ctvedmonton ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
Even Christmas Eve was spent with some passengers sleeping on hotel lobby floors, refusing to be moved to yet another hotel until they received proof that a hotel room was guaranteed to be ready for them. Several of the Canadian passengers commented that they are ‘used to delays caused by weather’ but that this situation has been handled so badly that they are calling lawyers and Canadian Consulate offices seeking assistance.
Children and families from Canada sleeping on Cancun airport floor this Xmas & for 4 days due to @SunwingVacay. This is not about weather, which is understandable, this is about unprofessionalism and NO communication — we have not received ONE update from them all week. #sunwing pic.twitter.com/360sHjG4E7
— Belinda and Community (@beeandcommunity) December 24, 2022
Plan For The Worst
Winter weather can often be the cause of flight disruptions, so planning ahead for potential changes is a great idea when flying during the winter months. Sunwing Vacations website lists severe weather in Canada as the main reason for these delays, stating that the weather has seriously impacted their ability to move both planes and staff. Unfortunately, Sunwing’s struggles came at the height of Christmas week and also when Cancun Airport has received a record number of visitors to the area.
Stranded for 3 days at Cancun Mexico.. Sunwing pulled out the flight at 11 pm after waiting at airport since 9 am @CP24 @CBCNews @SunwingVacay #WG512,#WG516 pic.twitter.com/0kJqYXwZ3q
— Harshpreet Singh (@harsh_preet1) December 25, 2022
Want Your Money Back?
Sunwing has acknowledged that any impacted customers with delays of more than 24 hours have the option to cancel their flight or vacation for a full refund.
Canceling a flight for a full refund can allow travelers the possibility to book with another airline so that they can get home. Several people have reported ‘giving up on Sunwing’ and doing exactly that. Some good tips on what to do if your flight is delayed can be found in our recent article about chaos at the airport.
Some takeaways from passengers include not expecting ground transportation to be provided. You may have to pay for taxi fares to and from hotels if you are delayed. Having a cell phone with data so that you can stay in contact with the airline representatives is also a great idea.
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Home4Xmas
Wednesday 28th of December 2022
Should’ve cut that vacation short (or never went) once you got found out about that winter storm coming. The rest of us ONLY had a 10+ day warning. I guess the thought of that blue water, tequilas, empanadas and partying was to much to bare………ENJOY!
White, Bob
Thursday 29th of December 2022
@Home4Xmas, Why cancel? Just extend the vacation another week