Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra appears as a witness at the Public Order Emergency Commission in Ottawa on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has accepted a request from fellow members of Parliament to appear before a committee that is seeking answers about what led to a chaotic holiday travel season. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
OTTAWA – Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has accepted a request from fellow members of Parliament to appear before a committee that is seeking answers about what led to a chaotic holiday travel season.
Thousands of Canadians had their flights cancelled or delayed due to poor weather, while hundreds of others were left stranded in Mexico after the vacation airline Sunwing axed their trips home.
The company has since apologized and said the cancellations were due to winter storms that swept across the country before Christmas Day.
Sunwing has also halted flights from Saskatchewan until early February because of “extenuating circumstances” – drawing the ire of political leaders and passengers.
The widespread travel disruptions, which also included Via Rail, prompted MPs on the transport committee to demand a study into how passengers were treated.
The committee is set to meet today to discuss the request and a call from Conservative and New Democrat members for Alghabra to be a witness at a future meeting.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2023.
