Angry Sunwing passengers waited 36 hours in Hamilton International Airport for flight to Cuba

Passengers hoping to go to Varadero, Cuba on Sunday spent the first day and a half of their trip, waiting at Hamilton International Airport (YHM) before boarding. 

The Sunwing Airlines flight was expected to depart Hamilton at 8:45 a.m. on Sun. Dec. 18, and arrive in Varadero around noon but the trip was delayed, according to one passenger, at least six times.

"There have been no words on refunds or compensation. It's ridiculous," said Ashwin Rajaratnam on Monday morning. "They said that they were getting crew members from Toronto and then, in an hour, they said that the crew had not arrived and then no information was given before they delayed the flight to 4:30 p.m.." 

The three-hour Sunwing flight from Hamilton to Varadero occurs once a week and the Boeing 737-800 plane can carry up to 189 passengers, Sunwing says.

How can you announce that the crew is coming at 8 a.m. and then say nothing for an hour and then delay the flight to 4:30 p.m.?- Shihan Sajeed, passenger

Rajaratnam drove to Hamilton Airport from Windsor with friends on Sunday and planned to spend the week in Cuba before returning to Canada on Dec. 25. 

He and his friends then waited at the terminal for 36 hours before boarding the plane and leaving at 6 p.m. on Mon Dec. 19.

He said Sunwing gave them each two $20 food vouchers to use in the food court on Sunday, and two $15 vouchers for Monday as compensation.

"There's only a Tim Hortons here with no breakfast or lunch menu and an overly priced Detour restaurant," said Rajaratnam. "We haven't been offered refunds or discounts and we've been sitting in the airport for hours."

Another passenger waiting for their trip to Cuba, Shihan Sajeed, drove to Hamilton from Waterloo with his wife and two daughters but ran out of food for his kids in the waiting area. He ended up driving his family back home overnight before returning Monday morning.

When he heard the flight was delayed again he said, "How can you announce that the crew is coming at 8 a.m. and then say nothing for an hour and then delay the flight to 4:30 p.m.?" 

"Some of the other passengers just wanted to get their luggage and leave," said Sajeed. "I still want to go on the trip, my family really wanted to go."

Colleen Ryan, associate director of communications of the airport told CBC on Monday that Sunwing was handling the delay but the problem was likely a crewing issue. 

In an email, Sunwing said the delay was "result of recent weather events and resulting crew constraints across key Canadian gateways" and other Sunwing flights were impacted with delays in recent days. 

Sunwing said it would continue to monitor the situation closely both locally and at travel destinations to restore regular service in the coming days. 

For future travelers during the holiday season, Rajaratnam said to "be ready for delays." He warns some airlines do not update their online schedules on time and to be ready to adjust.