'We're really done': Manitoban stuck in Cuba details frustrating ordeal

Manitobans who travelled to Cuba for the holidays are still stuck in the tropical country, despite their original return date being Dec. 24.

"We're done, we're really done," said Todd Holmes, who is one of seven people in a group that went down to Cuba on Dec. 17.

Holmes said travel to the island was easy, but going home has been a struggle. The group was scheduled to be in Cuba for seven days, heading back home on Dec. 24.

Holmes and his group have been just a handful of the hundreds of Canadians stuck in popular travel destinations down south after Sunwing delayed or cancelled flights, citing severe winter weather in Canada.

Unlike other Canadians who have been stranded at airports, Holmes has been able to stay at his resort in Cuba.

"Usually our day consists of getting up early in the morning, about eight o'clock, and going down to the front desk and seeing what the status is on our flight. We are left with the Sunwing rep who tells us the status between eight and nine. And then from there, we have to prepare to get out of the rooms for noon," said Holmes, although they have yet to leave the resort.

He added that everyone who works at the resort has been extremely helpful and kind and he has appreciated the hospitality of the Cuban people.

Once they learn that they will not be on a flight, they again book their room for the day and start the process over the next day.

There did seem like a chance Holmes would be going home on Tuesday when they were told a bus was picking them up and they were on a flight.

A notice posted at the resort in Cuba where Todd Holmes and six other Manitobans are staying. Their flight home on Dec. 24 was cancelled and they are still stuck in the country. Dec. 28, 2022. (Source: Todd Holmes)

The original bus never showed but a second one came later in the day looking for, what they thought, was their flight home.

"They have the list of who's supposed to be on the bus and if you're not on the list, you can't get on the bus. So our names were not on the list, so they weren't allowing us on the bus."

Holmes later found out from a Sunwing representative in Manitoba that he and his group were supposed to be on the flight.

"So they're trying to tell us that we missed our flight yesterday, when we didn't miss our flight yesterday because we were told not to be on that bus.

"It's quite obvious that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing whatsoever."

Holmes has called the entire situation very frustrating and even though they have been able to stay at their resort while they wait, he doesn't want to have to deal with a situation like this ever again.

"We have no desire to ever have any association with Sunwing ever again."

Following the interview with CTV News Winnipeg, Holmes said in a message that his entire group was able to secure flights with either WestJet or Air Canada and they will be leaving Cuba on Thursday.

He noted that once they are back in Manitoba they will look at the possibility of a class action lawsuit.

In a statement to CTV News Winnipeg, the president of Sunwing, Len Corrado, said the company apologizes for the impact and frustration as "we continue to navigate unprecedented operational challenges."

"Our teams locally and in destination continue to proactively work through the backlog of flights in order to return our customers home as soon as possible. We have 40 recovery flights planned for this week thus far, 18 of which have already operated or will be complete by end of day today," said Corrado.

He said customers still awaiting information will get notifications through flight alerts and from destination representatives when their flights have been rescheduled.

"Please know that we continue to work around the clock to overcome operational challenges and return our remaining delayed customers home in the next few days."