A pair of Sunwing passengers who forced a Cuba-bound plane to return to Toronto Wednesday night could face a $50,000 bill, in addition to a number of charges.
Flight 656 headed to Varadero, Cuba turned back over South Carolina when two "unruly" passengers allegedly became disruptive after consuming a "significant" quantity of duty-free alcohol in the plane's washroom, airline spokesperson Janine Chapman said. The two-Toronto area women then lit a cigarette, triggering the smoke alarm, before getting into a "physical alteration" with each other.
Chapmen said the two women also allegedly made a threat against the aircraft, "which was considered non-credible given their condition."
The Sunwing plane was forced to turn back to Pearson International Airport. Two CF-18 fighter jets from Canadian Forces Base Bagotvill escorted the plane as a precaution, NORAD confirmed.
Lilia Ratmanski, 25, of Whitby, and Milana Muzikante, 26, of Vaughan have been charged with smoking in an airplane, endangering the safety of an aircraft, uttering threats and mischief endangering life.
Passengers face extra fees for disturbance
In addition to the charges, the pair may also face a hefty bill for their alleged raucous in-flight behaviour.
"Incidents such as this one can result in direct costs (including additional landing fees, fuel and staffing costs) in excess of $50,000," Chapman said in a statement on Thursday. "However, Sunwing as an airline would not bear the cost of any military response."
Chapman said Sunwing is "currently examining all legal avenues available to pursue the individuals who have caused this disruption and extreme inconvenience to (their) customers and expense to (the airline). There are Canadian precedents where the Courts have ordered passengers causing this type of disruption to pay restitution to the airlines."
Both women have been granted bail for $2,500 on Thursday, but Muzikante spent the night in jail because no surety was present to sign off on her bail conditions.
She appeared in court with a surety on Friday morning, and was finally released later in the day.
The women are not permitted to enter an airport, board a plane, contact each other or buy, possess or consume alcohol as conditions of their bail.
