N.Y. Storm Strands Passengers in Planes

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070318/D8NU8VAG0.html

N.Y. Storm Strands Passengers in Planes
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Mar 17, 9:01 PM (ET)

By DAVID B. CARUSO and JENNIFER PELTZ

NEW YORK (AP) - Hundreds of passengers were stranded for hours overnight on airliners that couldn't take off from John F. Kennedy International Airport because of the ice and snow storm that pummeled the Northeast.

The exact number of planes stuck on the tarmac was unclear, but irate passengers reported that the problems affected several airlines. Pilots and officials blamed some of the problems on a shortage of deicing fluid and a new federal regulation giving pilots a narrow window to get their planes in the air once the chemicals are applied. The change has meant some jets need to get doused repeatedly if their takeoffs are delayed.

Rahul Chandran said he was trapped aboard a Cathay Pacific Airways jet from midnight until nearly 9:30 a.m. Saturday, when the flight to Vancouver was finally canceled.


Stranded passengers wait out the storm at Laguardia airport Friday, March 16, 2007 in the Queens borough of New York. Snow and sleet pelted the metro area on Friday interrupting travel plans for thousands, as hundreds of flights were canceled by airlines including JetBlue, American, Northwest and Delta. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)


Throughout the night, the pilot repeatedly described problems with deicing equipment, including a lack of fluid, that kept the plane waiting endlessly to have its wings sprayed. When the airline finally gave up and tried to return the plane to its terminal, it took at least another hour to arrange a gate, he said.

FULL story at link.

[MADem]

1. Agggh, what horseshit!!!

If they are going to stick people out there for nine and a half hours, they should drive a few of those giant people carriers out to the runway with a stairway and at least let the people walk down the stairs and stretch their legs, maybe hang out in the people mover for a change.

That's obscene. They'd have to change the flight crew before they could take off. It's just stupid.