Air Canada flight canceled after altercation between crew member and passenger

Airliner meltdowns have become increasingly common, but it is rare for a flight to be canceled due to a crew member's behavior and subsequent passenger revolt. This was the case on Friday when an Air Canada purser had an outburst following an exchange with a passenger. The airline has since apologized for the incident and stated that it is under review.

According to social media accounts, the dispute involved a passenger’s request for a blanket to counteract the vigorous pre-takeoff air conditioning on the A330, which was scheduled to fly from Casablanca to Montreal. The exchange escalated, and video footage shows the purser yelling in French and stating she did not want any “bullying against my crew.”

The plane was already taxiing when the exchange occurred and returned to the gate so that the passenger could be removed. However, many other passengers also requested to disembark, citing the purser’s behavior. As a result, the flight was canceled and rescheduled for Saturday with a different crew.