‘Worst flight experience’ as passengers endure 27 hours of delays in flight from Florida to Pearson in Mississauga, Ontario

A flight from Florida to Pearson Airport in Mississauga that normally takes from three to four hours turned into a nearly 30-hour ordeal for Air Canada travellers last weekend.

The flight – AC1029 on the program – was supposed to leave Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport en route to Toronto on 9:15 p.m. Sunday night. Instead, frustrated travellers did not depart Florida until near midnight the next night, arriving at 3 a.m. Tuesday morning.

“Without a doubt the worst flight experience,” said traveller Billy Silverstein on social media.

Passengers were told of the first delay an hour before departure. Three more delays followed before the flight was cancelled altogether just after 12:15 a.m., with “weather conditions” cited as the reason, with four tornadoes sweeping through the area that afternoon.

The flight was rescheduled to leave Monday at 4:15 p.m., with passengers left without any offers of hotel vouchers. Meal vouchers were eventually awarded upon request – valid only at airport restaurants.

More delays happened the next day, with the last of six delays prompting enough of an outcry from passengers that airport security had to be called.

Passengers eventually received eCoupons and travel discounts, though the offers fall short of airline requirements of at least $1,700 when extended delays are “within the airline’s control.”