Quebec Passengers From The Sunwing Party Plane Could Face Hefty Fines & Even Jail Time

The passengers seen drinking, smoking and partying maskless on a Sunwing flight from Montreal to Cancun could face thousands of dollars in fines and possible jail time, the federal government has confirmed.

In a statement on January 4, the ministers of transport, health, and public safety confirmed that an investigation into the incident had been launched.

"We are aware of unacceptable behavior and cases of non-compliance with mask wearing and other air safety requirements that occurred on a privately chartered flight from Montréal to Cancun on December 30, 2021," reads the notice.

It says that the reports of disruptive behaviour will be taken "very seriously" and said that Transport Canada had already been in contact with Sunwing about the flight in question.

If found to be in non-compliance with Transport Canada regulations, the group could face fines of up to $5,000 for each offence.

That's not all. Providing false information to border officials could result in penalties up to $750,000, six months in jail, or both, if "found guilty under a summary conviction."

"When endangering the lives of others and causing harm, a traveller could be subject to up to three years in prison and/or up to $1 million in fines," the statement adds.

Videos posted on social media show passengers drinking alcohol, singing, dancing and even smoking on board while failing to wear masks or practice physical distancing.

A report from Narcity Quebec suggests some passengers from the same Sunwing flight also attempted to use Vaseline to falsify their COVID-19 test results.

This trip was originally organized by the invitation-only group 111 Private Club. Passengers departed from Montreal on December 30 and were set to return on a Sunwing flight on Wednesday, January 5.

However, in response to the viral videos, multiple airlines announced that they will not permit the passengers to return home on their services. This includes Air Canada, Air Transat and Sunwing itself.

CTV News reports that some of the passengers have already managed to catch a return flight to Canada as of Thursday, noting that at least one person was handcuffed by border agents upon arrival at the Montreal-Trudeau airport.

In response to the incident, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described feeling "extremely frustrated" and said the passengers' behaviour was a "slap in the face."

Speaking on Wednesday, he reiterated that the federal government would continue to investigate the incident and would be taking the matter "extremely seriously."

This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.