Conservative MP Helena Guergis has apologized to staff at the Charlottetown airport for speaking "emotionally" to them last week.
The junior cabinet minister released a statement Thursday explaining that she was "rushing to catch a flight" on Feb. 19, when the incident happened.
"Regardless of my workload and personal circumstances, it was not appropriate and I apologize to airport and Air Canada staff," the statement reads.
Guergis is married to former Alberta Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer, who is facing charges of cocaine possession and drunk driving. His case is expected to be resolved through a plea bargain in March.
"It was certainly not my intention to create any additional stress for airport or Air Canada employees who already have a very difficult job," the statement continues.
Guergis, the minister of state for the status of women, issued the statement after P.E.I. Liberal MP Wayne Easter received an anonymous letter describing the incident.
She and an aide arrived five minutes before the flight was due to depart and treated airport employees abusively, the letter alleges. Guergis was so rude to one Air Canada employee that he considered declining their request to board the plane, it says.
Guergis fumed about being "stuck in this hell hole," the letter says, after she expressed concern about possibly missing the flight due to security regulations that required her to remove her boots.
When security staff informed her that passengers were expected to arrive two hours prior to take-off, she reportedly replied: "I've been down here working my ass off for you people."
The boarding gate had closed by the time she passed through security, the letter says, and the Air Canada agent had departed. To gain access to the plane, Guergis allegedly tried to enter a locked door but a security guard stopped her.
In her statement, Guergis said her father was born in Prince Edward Island and that she has family who still live there.
"I wish to express my appreciation to all the hard-working people who make it so welcoming," she concludes.
With files from The Canadian Press
