A Canadian woman was forced to board her flight from Mexico after going to the bathroom too many times due to an “upset stomach” as she claimed her manager “refused to even pay for a taxi.”

• Joanna Chiu, a newspaper reporter and author, went to X on Friday to complain about her ordeal as she was about to fly back to Vancouver
• “I just got kicked off a @WestJet flight from Mexico because I had stomach issues and had to use the bathroom too many times before departure,” she wrote
• She added that staff refused to give her money for a taxi after she left it on the plane, fearing she would be arrested

By Stephen M. Lepore

Published: 05:36, February 15, 2024 | Updated: 05:43, February 15, 2024

A woman took to social media to express her dismay after saying she was kicked off a flight from Mexico back to her home in Canada because she went to the bathroom too many times before departure.

Joanna Chiu, a newspaper reporter and author, went to X on Friday to complain about her ordeal as she was scheduled to fly back to Vancouver on Canadian airline WestJet.

“I just got kicked off a @WestJet flight from Mexico because I had stomach issues and had to use the bathroom too many times before departure,” she wrote.

Additionally, she said she was initially given “no promise of a hotel or rebooked flight.”

She explained that her bathroom trips were caused by an illness, but added that she was “on medication and on the mend” and wondered if she could just get “some customer service.”

Joanna Chiu, a newspaper reporter and author, went to X on Friday to complain about her ordeal as she was scheduled to fly back to Vancouver on Canadian airline WestJet

Chiu ended her thread with a sarcastic recommendation: “If you get sick before a flight, hold it off.”

Her problems continued after Chiu said she was forced off the plane when she realized she had left her money on board with the people she was traveling with.

A WestJet supervisor refused to give her money for a taxi. She posted a photo of the annoyed supervisor and said she “burst into tears” after they became aggressive and called him “an asshole.”

Chiu claimed she recorded their interaction.

“This @WestJet supervisor said I couldn’t take a flight tomorrow if I didn’t delete the video.”

She then added that a “nicer” employee later spoke to her but refused to give in [her] a booking reference for my rebooked flight.'

“She told me to just come back to the airport tomorrow and ask at the counter,” Chiu added, saying she was “rightfully afraid of being arrested.”

Eventually, she claimed WestJet sent her a direct message with her booking reference number.

Chiu said she was forced off the plane when she realized she had left her money on board with the people she was traveling with

A WestJet supervisor refused to give her money for a taxi. She posted a photo of the annoyed supervisors and said she “burst into tears” after they became aggressive. Chiu said she recorded her interaction with the supervisor

Chiu announced Sunday that she had finally returned to Vancouver and warned passengers to “check if your destination is known for gastrointestinal illnesses.”

“If you go to the bathroom before a flight and the flight attendant asks if you're sick, say you just have a small bladder,” she continued.

The reaction to Chiu's tirade was mixed. Some warned her that by flying when she was sick she was putting people in danger.

“The passenger was sick and therefore should not have flown,” said one social media user.

“It sounds like this issue may have resulted in the passenger having to use the toilet throughout the return flight or at times when they need to be 'in the seat' for safety reasons. Good call, poorly communicated.'

13085975 Woman was kicked out of Mexico because she used the toilet too often

Others were more encouraging, saying they were sorry this happened to her.

In a statement to , a WestJet spokesperson regretted what happened to Chiu.

“We sincerely apologize to Ms. Chiu for the inconvenience and discomfort she experienced during her recent trip, including the communication delay that occurred as she waited for an appropriate alternative accommodation option,” said Madison Kruger.

Kruger added that the airline “takes all health concerns very seriously” and that “in cases where a guest is deemed unfit to travel due to illness, our crew is trained to make difficult but necessary decisions in the name of safety .”'

She said they immediately reached out to Chiu after her X-thread to provide her with further accommodation.

A Canadian woman was forced to board her flight from Mexico after going to the bathroom too many times due to an “upset stomach” because she claimed her manager “refused to even pay for a taxi.”