Azim Khan, of Fort Lauderdale, said he felt abandoned by JetBlue's representatives there. Kahn said that upon landing around 8:30 p.m. passengers were told that buses would soon arrive to transfer them to JFK. The promised buses never came.
Passengers ultimately took taxis at their own expense to a nearby hotel where JetBlue had secured rooms for the night, he said. The taxi fares will be reimbursed.
For the remainder of the night, Khan and others went without food because nearby restaurants already had closed. Les Raye, 60, of Davie, said JetBlue should have made better provisions.
"I don't think I've ever gone through anything like this in my many years of flying," Raye said.
JetBlue has a "bill of rights" that entitles passengers to discounts on future flights for delays under certain conditions. Stories of marooned passengers on other carriers, including Northwest Airlines and American Airlines, have also prompted talk in Congress of legislation.
JetBlue spokesman Todd Burke said Thursday's situation was very unusual. Storms had caused multiple JetBlue delays on the East Coast and led several planes to divert to Atlantic City, where it normally does not fly.
With no ground crew or staff in Atlantic City, the airline's contracted representatives did their best to locate buses for the trip to JFK. But after calling several casinos and about 45 bus companies, they found none could do the job, Burke said.
Stuart Klaskin, an aviation consultant in Coral Gables, said landing where it had no operations was Jet Blue's key mistake.
"It might have been better to divert to a different airport where they could have better accommodated [passengers]," he said.
Klaskin said JetBlue actually is following the public's wishes by trying to fly even if the weather causes delays.
"People would rather go than be canceled," he said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local...-home-headlines
Passengers ultimately took taxis at their own expense to a nearby hotel where JetBlue had secured rooms for the night, he said. The taxi fares will be reimbursed.
For the remainder of the night, Khan and others went without food because nearby restaurants already had closed. Les Raye, 60, of Davie, said JetBlue should have made better provisions.
"I don't think I've ever gone through anything like this in my many years of flying," Raye said.
JetBlue has a "bill of rights" that entitles passengers to discounts on future flights for delays under certain conditions. Stories of marooned passengers on other carriers, including Northwest Airlines and American Airlines, have also prompted talk in Congress of legislation.
JetBlue spokesman Todd Burke said Thursday's situation was very unusual. Storms had caused multiple JetBlue delays on the East Coast and led several planes to divert to Atlantic City, where it normally does not fly.
With no ground crew or staff in Atlantic City, the airline's contracted representatives did their best to locate buses for the trip to JFK. But after calling several casinos and about 45 bus companies, they found none could do the job, Burke said.
Stuart Klaskin, an aviation consultant in Coral Gables, said landing where it had no operations was Jet Blue's key mistake.
"It might have been better to divert to a different airport where they could have better accommodated [passengers]," he said.
Klaskin said JetBlue actually is following the public's wishes by trying to fly even if the weather causes delays.
"People would rather go than be canceled," he said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local...-home-headlines
