Air Canada flight flub in Moncton leaves Toronto man grounded

ErdemBilaloglu, a Toronto businessman, is demanding an apology from Air Canada after he was put on the wrong flight at the Greater Moncton International Airport on Tuesday night,and then refused access to the correct flight when he complained.

Bilaloglu says hewas supposed to be flying home to Toronto after a business trip to New Brunswickand showed crews his boarding pass and photo identification.

By mistake, he ended up ona flight destined forMontreal instead.

Bilaloglusays he settled in and started chatting with some of the otherpassengers. It was only when another passenger with the same assigned seat boarded that the mistake was realized, he said.

"They said, 'But this plane is going to Montreal.' I said, 'No, no this plane is going to Toronto'. And there were fiveor six other passengers around me, and they said, 'No, no it's going to Montreal.' Really.I'm in the wrong plane."

Bilalogludisembarked and proceeded to the gate for hisflight to Toronto, which hadn't departed yet.But he wanted to know how, after showing his ID and boarding pass at the gate, how he was allowed on the wrong flight.

Bilaloglu saidthe Air Canada employee at the gate wouldn't apologize, so he decided to lodge a formal complaint.

He told the employee,"'Either give me your surname, or give me your badge or employee number so I know who I'm talking with,' and he said, 'I'm not giving you anything.'"

Bilaloglu saidhe eventually took a photograph of the gateand the attendant.That's when he was told he was being kicked off hisToronto flight.

He ended up having to stay the night at a hotel in Moncton and finally flew home on Wednesday afternoon. Now hewants an apology and his expenses covered.

Under investigation

ManonStuart, spokeswomanforJazz Aviation, which provides ground handling services at the Greater Moncton International Airport on behalf of Air Canada, confirms a passenger was "erroneously processed" and put on the wrong flight.

"We extend our sincere apology to our passenger for the inconvenience caused by this incident,"she said in an emailed statement, adding the incident is being investigated in an "effort to avoid any future reoccurrence."

Stuart declined to provide any information about the specific passenger, or why he was denied boarding on the Toronto flight,citing confidentiality.

"Our agents are diligent in ensuring that passengers are boarded on their flights.Jazz Aviation carries in excess of ninemillion passengers each year on behalf of Air Canada, and this type incident is extremely rare."

Airline passengeradvocateGaborLukacssaidheoften hears about cases like Bilaloglu's.

"Airlines often use the allegation of an unruly passenger to simply get rid of a passenger who is being simply reasonable, but assertive of his and her rights," said Lukacs, who is based in Halifax.

"The difficulty is, short of going to court, there isn't much that can be done."