A New Brunswick couple are calling for an apology from Sunwing after they are saying their trip become a nightmare, particularly for his or her younger son, who’s autistic.
Alden and Pauline Paul, together with their son Kassian, had been making an attempt to return residence from their journey to Punta Cana within the Dominican Republic earlier this month when their flight was delayed no fewer than 10 occasions.
“It’s simply unhappy that the whole lot went the best way it did as a result of we solely had that one week to make recollections and it was nothing however a wrestle,” Pauline stated.
Seven-year-old Kassian is non-verbal, and the household had spoken with Sunwing earlier than their departure about particular lodging he would want. The airline had allowed them to maneuver to the entrance of the road throughout check-in, for instance, and was conscious of Kassian’s wants.
“The rationale why is due to his excessive sensory wants, and he’s additionally a flight danger. Due to the truth that our son will elope. As a result of he doesn’t perceive the risks in on a regular basis life,” Alden stated.
“It actually hinders us from making an attempt to kind of get pleasure from a visit once we’re on the airport due to the truth that we’re watching the place all of the exits are. ‘The place can he go that he shouldn’t be going?’ And if you happen to give him the chance, he’ll go to these locations.”
The household had spoken with Sunwing earlier than their departure about particular lodging their son would want.
Offered/Alden Paul
After having fun with a sunny getaway, the Paul household was prepared to move residence on Feb. 19. Nevertheless, they had been among the many lots of of different Sunwing prospects caught up in flight cancellations and delays.
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Again-to-back winter storms had hit Jap Canada and a Delta aircraft crash at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport had shut down two runways.
The Pauls had been advised to maneuver to a unique lodge whereas they waited for his or her delayed return flight to Fredericton.
Alden says a lodge supervisor initially agreed to allow them to maintain their room in order to not disrupt Kassian’s routine, however a Sunwing consultant known as them a couple of hours later and insisted they change resorts — regardless of their explanations about Kassian’s particular wants.
“After which from there it simply spiralled. It was it was delay after delay, after delay, after delay,” he stated.
Their flight was cancelled or delayed 10 occasions over the course of 4 days.
The household was hesitant to go to the airport with every new promise of a flight, after seeing social media posts about different Sunwing passengers caught within the terminals. Alden says they had been making an attempt to keep away from taking Kassian from place to put.
“We had been making an attempt to keep away from all that as a result of it’s very tough to try this to an autistic baby, not to mention any baby, however not only a baby whose comprehension of all of it is simply completely different,” he stated.
“So we attempt to keep away from any aggression or any frustration on my son’s half or having a meltdown, which is quite common in youngsters on the spectrum.”
Every time, Alden says they needed to plead with Sunwing to maintain their rooms as a result of the prospect of being caught in an airport long-term with Kassian was “unthinkable.”
“It appeared to us like they had been doing no matter they’ll to not accommodate you,” he stated.
“And so they refused to permit us to pay for our rooms.”
Once they lastly acquired again to New Brunswick on Feb. 22, they had been so fed up, they left their baggage behind.
The Pauls are in search of an apology from the airline, compensation and improved insurance policies for travellers with particular wants.
World Information reached out to Sunwing for a response however didn’t hear again by Friday.
© 2025 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
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