Passengers stranded on plane for 16 hours
HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L. • An end is finally in sight for passengers who spent 16 gruelling hours on a plane grounded on the tarmac in frigid Happy Valley-goose Bay, N.L., though a passenger wondered why it took so long to get help.
“You’re cold, you’re tired, you’re hungry,” said Sonjay Dutt, a professional wrestler who was travelling to an event in China.
“I’ve travelled for work pretty much on a weekly basis for the last almost 20 years, and I’ve never experienced something like this.”
United Flight 179 from Newark, N.J., to Hong Kong was diverted to the Goose Bay Airport Saturday night after a passenger experienced a medical emergency, according to United Airlines spokeswoman Natalie Noonan.
She said that after the passenger was removed from the plane and taken to hospital, a mechanical issue with the plane’s door prevented the aircraft from taking off. Noonan believes the door was unable to be shut because it likely froze in the wintry temperatures.
As the hours drew on, Dutt said there was little communication between the airline and the 250 passengers stuck on the plane, which became uncomfortably cold as temperatures outside plunged to nearly -30 C.
He chronicled his experience on social media.
“At one point you have to roll with the punches. You’re at their mercy,” he said in a phone interview. “You’re just hoping that they can communicate with you as honestly as possible, and I feel like that wasn’t done.”
After about 10 hours, officials delivered food from Tim Hortons to the passengers, Dutt said, and some people were taken to the airport’s customs area to stretch their legs.
Mechanics arrived late Sunday morning and attempted to fix the door while the passengers were still on board. When the door repair proved to be a lengthy process, the tired travellers were moved to a rescue plane, which was supposed to leave for Newark late Sunday afternoon.
Dutt said he’s a frequent flyer with the airline and will be looking for answers once he gets back.
“This is unacceptable at all levels,” he said.
In response, Noonan said the company did “everything they could” to make sure the passengers were as comfortable as possible. Passengers will receive refunds and vouchers, she said.