Sometimes I wonder how these airline events manage to hit the media, and it doesn't matter which Canadian airline it is, there seems to be a weekly tale of woe (or more often this week.)
I would imagine a diligent reporter could hang out at a car repair place (say the big Canadian Auto Repair Store Chain) and get tales of woe all day long. Why is it the air stories that get the attention? Is there some special media hot line for these events?
As for this specific event, seems like a tempest in a teapot, but I was not there to witness it. You either have a few overzealous AC employees, or the passengers did in fact complain a lot more vigorously than we are led to believe. Both are distinct possibilities.