A Black Montreal family claims they were racially profiled after being kicked off of an Air Canada flight.
They say the flight was delayed after they boarded due to bad weather, but once the plane was cleared for takeoff, Jodi Smith-Wright says she noticed the family’s bags were still on the tarmac and informed a flight attendant.
The family says after discussions between Smith-Wright, her father Keith Wright and the flight attendant, the plane returned to the gate and the entire family was asked to disembark. “Everybody saw what was going on, in disbelief, and completely deeply hurt as a human being that this was happening to me,” Wright said.What’s worse, the family says once they were outside the exit door of the plane, they were greeted by a slew of authorities.Wright says the seven other members of the family, ranging in age from five to 60, were also removed from the plane, despite having had no interactions with staff.
“It was a terrible experience. It was traumatic,” said Kelsey Smith-Wright, who was onboard the flight with her five-year-old daughter. “My daughter was crying the whole time and she didn’t understand why we were being taken off. She was asking me, ‘Why are we leaving? Is everyone else getting off?'”Keith Wright, centre, is flanked by his daughters Kelsey Smith-Wright, left, and Jodi Smith-Wright at a press conference in Montreal, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023.
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