The airline has not confirmed that the departure schedule is affected due to the passenger not wearing a mask for their children. Meanwhile, the passengers denied this information.

A representative of the WestJet airline said that the flight from Calgary to Toronto on September 8 was canceled due to the failure of the passenger to comply with the crew’s anti-epidemic instructions and refusal to leave the plane. “Due to the increased stress on the plane, the crew felt uncomfortable to continue serving, and the flight was canceled,” the airline spokesman said.

Safwan Choudhry and wife Marium Choudhry were the two passengers involved in the incident. He and his wife are accompanied by two daughters, a three-year-old baby and a 19-month-old baby. Safwan said things were progressing too quickly, and it was the most embarrassing situation they have ever experienced.

Just before takeoff, Safwan said a flight attendant reminded his wife to wear masks for both children. Next, Safwan and his wife agreed, asking the flight attendant for a few minutes to comfort the crying little girl. At this time, the flight attendant called the police on the plane to control the situation.

“We were so desperate that we just wanted to go home immediately, so we said we would comply with their requests. A 19-month-old child knows nothing but crying, when something covers his face and nose, blocking the airway”, said Safwan.

Next, the pilot asked the Safwan couple to leave the cabin, the flight was later delayed and eventually canceled. While many people were upset with his family, many said that the incident was filmed and photographed as evidence.

The Safwans then returned to Toronto on another airline flight on September 9, and arrived home the next day. Safwan said it had not been contacted by WestJet, except for an employee who called to investigate the incident.

At home, Safwan found out that under the law of the Canadian Department of Transport, children under two years old do not need to wear a mask. A WestJet spokesperson denied that they asked two passengers to wear masks for their 19-month-olds, and only reminded the three-year-olds’ regulations.

In a statement, the airline apologized for disrupting passengers’ schedules, but insisted on always put safety standards first and law enforcement of the Department of Transport Canada.