In-flight smoking could cost family $50K

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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Four passengers' refusal to stop smoking on a Canada-to-Dominican Republic flight could wind up costing them thousands of dollars, an airline officials says.

The no-smoking infraction prompted the jet to make an unscheduled stop in Bermuda Friday. The flight started in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sunwing Airlines Vice President Daryl McWilliams told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. the air carrier intends to sue the unidentified family of four to recoup its costs for the unplanned diversion, which he said are near $50,000.

The CBC said the costs include paying for passengers and crew members' hotel accommodations for one night, paying a different crew to search for cigarettes and sending a mechanic to inspect the plane because it had too much fuel on board when it landed prematurely.

In December, Australia's Qantas Airways said an emergency landing by one of its planes on its way to Tokyo cost the airline $125,000. The CBC said a man on the Qantas flight lit a cigarette in the bathroom and then spit at a crew member.