It's been years since smoking was allowed on flights, but news out Monday, Feb. 4 about a family smoking on a plane has people talking. MSN Now shared the details of the move that diverted a Sunwing flight and got a family of three arrested.
A couple and their 22-year-old son apparently were caught smoking on a flight from Halifax, Nova Scotia to the Dominican Republic. The family smoked on the plane hidden in the bathroom, and once they were caught they refused to cooperate with the flight attendants about where the butts or other cigarettes were. As a result, the flight was diverted to Bermuda and the three smokers were arrested.
Passengers weren't inconvenienced simply due to a momentary diversion, however. The family smoking on the plane and refusing to cooperate led to serious delays because by the time the plane was re-checked for departure, the crew had hit time limits and were due their 12-hour break. All 170 passengers and the crew were put up in a hotel for the night before they could continue on to the Dominican Republic. One has to imagine that there were some very heated responses to that, as many of those traveling surely had reservations and expenses tied up in other plans.
The family that smoked on the plane is out on bail, though their passports reportedly have been seized. CBC News talked with the spouse of one of the passengers, and it sounds as if things got quite ugly aboard the plane. She says that there was swearing and screaming, though the family was cooperative once police removed them. There are no details about whether there might have been drinking involved, or what the nationality was of the family involved. At this time the family that smoked on the plane has not been formally charged with anything.
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