A total of 24 passengers who partied on the infamous Sunwing flight to Cancun, Mexico from Montreal in December 2021, now have penalties months after footage and images of the plane went viral on social media..Twelve new penalties were issued, Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Monday. Seven penalties were handed out for “non-compliance with vaccination rules,” while five more were issued for ignoring the mask rule on the December flight..Alghabra tweeted Monday the passengers had been fined for non-compliance with vaccination rules but did not say how much the passengers were fined..The federal government acted in response to other passengers’ complaints of “unacceptable behaviour” resulting from the partiers’ rowdy conduct during the flight..Alghabra did not elaborate on the exact list of penalties. However, in the first wave of penalties handed out earlier this month, six passengers who were not fully vaccinated received fines of up to $5,000..Transport Canada warned in early 2022 the penalties already issued would likely not be the last and passengers could face further punishment — including time behind bars — for offences relating to the passengers’ in-flight behaviour and COVID-19 rule-breaking..Several social media celebrities aboard recorded their fellow ravers’ exploits, shared the videos and screenshots on social media following the flight to Mexico..“This is why Transport Canada took immediate action. Aviation rules must be respected by everyone, for the sake of everyone’s safety. Transport Canada will continue to investigate and issue all necessary penalties,” Alghabra said in a March 8 press release..Amanda Brown is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.abrown@westernstandardonline.com.,.Twitter: @WS_JournoAmanda
