A man has been left stranded in Edinburgh airport for three days despite spending £2000 on three separate tickets to Canada. Iyare Ehis has been locked in a dispute with Air Canada since Monday after trying to visit his sister who is in hospital.
The 51-year-old has told how the airline has treated him “awfully” after refusing to let him travel despite buying three different tickets. Initially, Iyare had been told he couldn't board the flight on Monday because he didn't have the necessary paperwork to allow him to stop for transit in Washington.
Edinburgh Live reports that the visa passengers need to enter America is different from that required by Canada. Frustrated by the airline's lack of clarity, he reluctantly started looking at other ways to get to Toronto in a desperate bid to see his sister who is seriously ill.
Iyare said: “I cannot believe I need a different visa for a one-hour transit in America. There was no clear sign of this when I booked the ticket last week.
“I’m just so desperate to get to my sister. There is no family there to see her. I haven’t been able to speak to her and she’s not strong enough to come to the phone. I had to book a new flight directly to Canada so I wouldn’t have the problem with the paperwork.”
Air Canada refunded £500 of his £686 ticket which he put towards a direct flight in order to bypass the visa issue. The new flight cost £869 but he was told the booking had been unsuccessful.
The recruitment consultant was told that he would be refunded the money and that he should book another ticket for the same flight. However, after paying a further £914, he was again told he couldn't board the flight as the system showed both tickets which was flagged as fraudulent activity.
Iyare said: “How can that be possible? I book one ticket and they tell me it’s unsuccessful. So, I book another ticket, I go back to the hotel, I come back the next day and I’m ready to finally see my sister. Then they say that they suspect fraud because I have two tickets?
“I’m angry. I’m mad, I’m frustrated. The way they have spoken to me is disgusting. No wonder I’m upset when I have tried three times to get to my ill family and every time they tell me no. It’s awful.”
Iyare’s frustration only grew at this stage, leading to conversations with the police. He says the officers took sympathy with him and tried to contact Air Canada themselves to discuss the issue, though they were waiting over an hour before giving up on being connected to a representative.
Air Canada have told Edinburgh Live they are investigating the issue.
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