Sick Canadian Family Removed from Westjet Plane in Cancun After Resort Stay

Cancun, Mexico – A Canadian family’s vacation in the Riviera Cancun area turned into a harrowing ordeal, culminating in their removal from a Westjet flight and a desperate taxi ride to a local hospital. The family shared their traumatic experience, detailing days of severe illness and a lack of adequate support from both the resort where they stayed and airline staff. The family booked their vacation through Sunwing Vacations which now uses WestJet flights for transportation.

The family’s troubles began on February 3rd, the day of their arrival at a resort in the Riviera Cancun area. According to their account, the father, Andrew, fell violently ill on February 8th, experiencing relentless vomiting, chills, fever, diarrhea, and severe stomach cramps. Despite attempting to manage his symptoms with over-the-counter medications, his condition worsened, leaving him bedridden for the remainder of their scheduled stay.

Adding to their distress, the family’s young son, Lennox (5), began exhibiting similar symptoms on the morning of their departure, February 10th. While waiting for their airport transfer from the resort, Lennox vomited, a pattern that continued during the bus ride and upon arrival at Cancun International Airport.

The situation escalated at the airport. Despite the family’s clear distress and Lennox’s repeated vomiting, security staff reportedly refused to return a cleaning bucket they had been using, offering only inadequate ziploc bags. Lennox subsequently vomited on the airport floor.

The ordeal continued as the family boarded their Westjet flight. Minutes before takeoff, the mother also began vomiting, while Andrew’s symptoms persisted. Onboard, with the air conditioning malfunctioning, the family’s condition rapidly deteriorated. The mother described feeling intensely weak, dizzy, and confused, eventually losing consciousness and involuntarily urinating.

Despite informing the flight crew of their dire situation, the family was ultimately asked to deplane. What followed was a scene of confusion and a perceived lack of support. Expecting medical assistance upon exiting the aircraft, the family was left disoriented and without immediate help.

“I foolishly expected that when I got off the plane there would be an ambulance and a stretcher,” the mother recounted in her online post. “But as I looked out, there was nothing, no first responders, no medical team.”

Left to fend for themselves, the severely ill family was eventually guided to a luggage trolley and then onto a bus to the terminal. Despite their repeated pleas for water, ice, and medical attention to Sunwing staff at the airport, their requests were allegedly denied. They were reportedly told they would be taken back to the resort and were prevented from seeking hospital care independently.

A turning point came when a fellow traveler, identifying herself as a nurse, intervened, expressing serious concern for Lennox’s pale complexion and lack of steady pulse. Her urgency prompted the family to take drastic action. They hailed a taxi and insisted on being taken to a hospital.

During the frantic taxi ride to Hospital, Lennox became increasingly unresponsive, prompting desperate attempts by his parents to keep him awake. Upon arrival at the hospital, all three family members were examined and diagnosed with bacterial infections – infectious gastroenteritis and colitis. They were admitted and received treatment until their rescheduled flight home on February 12th.

The family has since returned to Canada but continues to recover from their illness. They are now grappling with significant unexpected expenses, estimated at around $17,000 CAD, including medical bills, accommodation, and lost wages.

The family’s public sharing of their “Mexico nightmare” serves as a stark warning to travelers and raises serious questions about the responsibilities of resorts and airlines in ensuring the well-being of their guests. This incident will likely prompt further scrutiny of health and safety protocols within the tourism industry in popular destinations like the Riviera Cancun.

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