A WestJet flight on its way to London from Calgary was forced to turn around to remove an "unruly passenger" that allegedly assaulted a crew member in a row over mask rules.
In a statement to Narcity, Calgary Police said that members of its Airport Patrol Team were called to remove the passenger from the flight heading to London Gatwick from Calgary International Airport on Wednesday, August 10.
According to the airline, the incident had stemmed from "mask non-compliance." Currently, any passengers on flights from Canada are still required to wear face masks.
The flight – which departed at around 8.30 p.m. — had been underway for around an hour when the crew made the decision to return to Calgary to remove the passenger.
The airline said while flight crew are trained to manage escalated situations, it takes a "zero-tolerance approach" to any behaviour that threatens the safety of guests, crew and operations.
A man in his 50s was arrested and removed from the plane once it had returned to the airport, Calgary Police Service Public Affairs added.
Mamoudou Barry, 52, has been charged with one count of mischief over $5,000, one count of common nuisance endangering life, one count of assault and one count of failure to comply with crew member's instruction under Canadian Aviation Regulations.
Following the incident, the aircraft continued on to London Gatwick and arrived at 2:39 p.m. local time.
In a statement, WestJet’s Chief Operating Officer, Diederik Pen, said crew members have been navigating an "extremely complex operating environment" due to the pandemic resulting in the airline enforcing restrictions such as mask compliance.
"As Canadians return to travel, we will never compromise on making the right decisions in support of the safety and well-being of our crews and guests," he added.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
