Plane from Halifax diverted to Bermuda after family smoking in seats: airline

HALIFAX – A Canadian airline says it had to divert a plane to Bermuda because a family was openly smoking in their seats.

A spokesman for Sunwing Vacations says the plane bound for the Dominican Republic from Halifax made an emergency landing at L.F. Wade International Airport on Friday night because a mother, father and son refused to butt out.

Daryl McWilliams says the family became verbally abusive and refused to tell the crew where they had stashed their cigarette butts.

The Bermuda Police Service says a 54-year-old man, a 52-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man were arrested after the plane landed and they were later released on bail.

McWilliams says the plane had to be searched and the cigarette butts were eventually located.

He says the plane’s 180 passengers and crew stayed in a hotel overnight and the aircraft resumed its journey on Saturday afternoon.