Matt Molnar
2007-07-31, 11:07 AM
Passengers reportedly stuck for hours due to mechanical problems (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5524990)
WABC Eyewitness News
(New York - WABC, July 30, 2007) - Some mechanical problems with a plane at JFK Airport have left passengers frustrated and looking for answers.
Eyewitness News reporter Lucy Yang is there with details.
A summertime getaway turned into a long, frustrating trip to nowhere today. The flight was aborted not once, but twice.
North American flight 116 was supposed to take off at 10 a.m. from New York to Jamaica. Instead, it is still sitting on the tarmac.
We're told the plane did make it to the runway, was building up speed for takeoff when the captain hit the brakes. Passengers were informed of a mechanical problem.
The plane returned to the tarmac for repairs. But instead of switching planes, travelers tell us they were told the problem was fixed so they were off to try it again -- except the second time was not the charm. The mechanical problem reared its ugly head again.
By the time passengers were finally let off the plane, some five hours later, patience was long gone. Police were called in as things got pretty ugly, we're told, between some passengers and the crew.
Eyewitness News spoke to a frustrated passenger on the phone who said: "This is ridiculous ... They said sorry for the incovienance we have to go back to the terminal, we have some kind of problem."
WABC Eyewitness News
(New York - WABC, July 30, 2007) - Some mechanical problems with a plane at JFK Airport have left passengers frustrated and looking for answers.
Eyewitness News reporter Lucy Yang is there with details.
A summertime getaway turned into a long, frustrating trip to nowhere today. The flight was aborted not once, but twice.
North American flight 116 was supposed to take off at 10 a.m. from New York to Jamaica. Instead, it is still sitting on the tarmac.
We're told the plane did make it to the runway, was building up speed for takeoff when the captain hit the brakes. Passengers were informed of a mechanical problem.
The plane returned to the tarmac for repairs. But instead of switching planes, travelers tell us they were told the problem was fixed so they were off to try it again -- except the second time was not the charm. The mechanical problem reared its ugly head again.
By the time passengers were finally let off the plane, some five hours later, patience was long gone. Police were called in as things got pretty ugly, we're told, between some passengers and the crew.
Eyewitness News spoke to a frustrated passenger on the phone who said: "This is ridiculous ... They said sorry for the incovienance we have to go back to the terminal, we have some kind of problem."