Flair Airlines passenger recounts botched landing in Region of Waterloo
Commercial flights in and out of Region of Waterloo International Airport were cancelled Friday after a Flair Airlines plane carrying 140 people overran the runway during landing.
A spokesperson for Flair Airlines says flight F8 501 from Vancouver to Kitchener-Waterloo “exited the runway at the end of its landing.”
According to a flight tracker, the plane landed around 6:25 a.m.
The airline says there were no injuries reported, and passengers were taken to the terminal by bus.
There were 134 passengers and six crew members on board the Boeing 737.
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has been deployed to investigate.
'OOPS, WE MISSED THE RUNWAY'
One of those passengers, Kitchener resident Paul Anstett, says he was taking the red-eye flight home after being in Vancouver for business.
Anstett says he was looking out the window of the aircraft and noticed something felt different when it was time to land.
Passengers of Flair Airlines flight F8 501 disembark onto grass after a botched landing at Region of Waterloo International Airport on Nov. 25, 2022. (Amanda Ramnarine/Submitted)
“The plane was dancing on the runway a bit. It was moving side to side,” he told CTV News.
Anstett says even though the landing felt “a little bouncy” most passengers around him seemed calm and there was no screaming or panic inside the cabin.
“Oops, we missed the runway,” Anstett said. "I looked at the person next to me, and I said, ‘we’re in the grass.’”
He says he is relieved the field where they landed was level and is grateful no one was injured.
As of noon Friday, the plane remains on the grass at the airport. (Submitted/Lou Ferrigno)
According to Anstett, passengers were able to take their personal carry-on luggage from inside the cabin, but checked luggage was not unloaded from the plane.
“So, they’re either going to be delivering [it], or we’ve got to go pick it up,” he said.
Anstett, who says he travels out west a few times a year, said the experience won’t deter him from flying with Flair Airlines again. But he joked that there are some things the upstart budget airline could improve upon.
“I just received a text message from Flair asking me ‘how was my Flair experience today’ and I kind of laughed at that. I am probably going to respond and say the experience was fine but it might be nice if I was brought to the terminal instead of the field next time,” he said.
Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board arrived at the airport around 9:30 a.m.
At this point it remains unclear what caused the plane to leave the runway.
The Region of Waterloo International Airport was closed to commercial traffic for the rest of the day Friday. Other Flair Airlines flights arriving and departing from YKF, as well as two West Jet flights, were cancelled.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.