Air Canada passenger wakes up ‘alone and in the dark’ on empty plane
An Air Canada passenger says she was left ‘alone and in the dark’ after falling asleep on a short flight to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
The airline is investigating how Tiffani Louise O’Brien was left on the plane as it parked up at the airport for the night.
O’Brien said she was seated in an empty row and lay down for a quick nap during the 90-minute flight.
She then woke up to a dark, empty plane parked up some way from the airport terminal.
"I wake up around midnight, a few hours after [the] flight landed, freezing cold, still strapped in my seat in complete darkness," O’Brien wrote on Air Canada’s Facebook page.
Unable to charge her phone due to the aircraft’s power shut down, she then made it into the cockpit but was unable to use the radio for the same reason.
"Since I can’t charge my phone to call for help I’m full on panicking,"
She was then able to open the plane’s door but unable to get down on to the tarmac due to the ’40-50ft drop.’
O’Brien wrote she eventually grabbed the attention of a worker on the tarmac who fetched a ladder truck to the plane to rescue her.
"He is in shock asking how the heck they left me on the plane," she wrote.
The airline gave no more details of O’Brien’s ordeal but said it is in constant contact with her and is still reviewing the June 9 incident.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements