A trans-Canadian flight was canceled this week because a toddler decided not to buckle up, causing a headache for passengers and crew members.
The Porter Airlines flight 444 was supposed to be going from British Columbia to Toronto when the child refused to sit down and buckle their seatbelt, Fox News reported Saturday.
The aircraft was in the middle of taxiing during its scheduled departure from Victoria International Airport at 10:30 p.m. when the trouble began and a flight attendant noticed the toddler was not complying with the rules to keep everyone safe.
The airline told Fox “A young child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt. The aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark.”
Members of the crew and an adult with the child were apparently unable to wrangle the tiny person into a seat and buckle their seatbelt.
“But by the time the child and parent were removed from the aircraft with their belongings, flight plans were refiled and the necessary paperwork was completed, the clock had become the next problem,” Pax News reported. “The process stretched beyond 12:30 a.m., when YYJ’s runway closes for the night, meaning the remaining passengers weren’t going anywhere either.”
The other passengers on the plane were forced to spend the night and rebooked on a later flight, according to Fox.
The airline’s website said a child safety seat or restraint is mandatory for a child under two years old who are occupying a seat.
“Transport Canada highly recommends the use of an approved child restraint for all phases of the flight. It provides the highest degree of protection for your infant or child and its use during flight will help in case of unanticipated turbulence,” the site read.
The airline apologized for the incident and its effect on other travelers, per the Pax article.
