Sunwing airline has responded relating to the news this week that the holiday airliner was cancelling its service this winter out of North Bay and Sudbury.
“Due to extenuating circumstances, we regret to inform our customers in Sudbury and North Bay that we are cancelling our winter program from both airports, effective February 1, 2023. This impacts weekly flights from Sudbury to Punta Cana starting on February 1st and from North Bay to Varadero starting on February 2," Sunwing stated in an email to BayToday.
"Sunwing is offering impacted customers the ability to transfer their vacation package to same-day departures from Toronto along with a $100 CAD future travel credit as a goodwill gesture. Alternatively, customers can choose to cancel their vacations for a full refund to their original form of payment, if preferred," the email continued.
See related: Sunwing cancelling flights from North Bay and Sudbury
Sunwing officials say customers can contact their local travel agent or the Sunwing Sales Centre at 1-877-786-9464 to change their departure gateway or initiate their cancellation.
"We sincerely apologize to our valued customers and airport partners in Sudbury and North Bay for the inconvenience and disruption," the email stated.
"The difficult decision to cancel winter flights beginning in February was deemed necessary due to operational and business constraints that would prevent us from delivering the standards of service our customers expect when travelling with Sunwing."
Sunwing officials are hopeful that customers will choose to travel with Sunwing from Toronto this winter season, while the airline works to re-establish a full program from Sudbury and North Bay for the 2023-2024 winter season.
"Of course, those who would prefer to cancel their travel plans for departure from February 1st onwards may do so and will receive a full refund, should they so choose," Sunwing stated.
"We thank our customers and airport partners for their ongoing support and understanding at this time, and look forward to returning customers to destinations through alternate gateways this winter and by rebuilding a fulsome program for next winter season.”
The airline has been under fire over the holidays as hundreds of passengers were affected by Sunwing flight disruptions, which began to pile up on Dec. 22 due to weather. Some media reports claim the airline has received more than 7,000 complaints from customers since the start of the holiday season.
See: Sunwing 'incredibly sorry' after holiday travel disruptions leave customers stranded
Back in August, Sunwing announced the airline was returning to Jack Garland Airport to provide weekly flights to Varadero, Cuba from mid-December through April, 2023.