Passengers Say Delta Flight From JFK To Florida Delayed 8 Hours On Ground Due To On-Board Fight
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A Delta flight from New York to Florida that was delayed on the ground with passengers on board for about eight hours finally arrived at its destination early Friday morning.
The flight was supposed to depart at 3:52 p.m. Thursday but didn't leave JFK Airport until after 11:30 p.m., arriving in Miami just before 2:30 a.m. Friday, CBS2's Dave Carlin reports.
Video taken by a passenger shows a commotion with some passengers out of their seats, officers at the front of the aircraft and flight attendants trying to to urge patience and calm.
Delta Airlines confirms the aircraft was "parked on a remote pad for quite some time" due to bad weather in both cities.
After more than 7 hours grounded, they took off. The long ordeal ended with touchdown in Miami at 2:28 a.m. Friday.
"Between that time, the AC was off, they didn't serve us water," passenger Sumeet Kapoor said.
Others on Twitter who claimed to be on the flight seemingly backed up Kapoor's account, saying they were stuck with no food or water and the captain had "no idea" where the ground crew was.
Delta, however, disputes the claim. They released the following statement Friday:
"Delta flight 2385 with service from JFK to Miami was delayed due to weather in both Miami and New York. Customers were offered both water and snack service while on the tarmac and were also offered the chance to take a bus back to the terminal given the plane was parked on a remote pad for quite some time. We apologize for the inconvenience and the plane has since taken off for Miami."
Some passengers left the aircraft, but others stayed on, fearing they would be separated from their luggage and hoping the delay would end sooner rather than later.
"There were tears and yelling and a fight in the back of the plane," one passenger said.
Frustrations boiled over. At least two passengers allegedly were agitated enough that Port Authority officers boarded the plane, but after talking to a flight attendant and pilot, they decided against arresting or ejecting them.
Federal rules say you can't be stuck in a plane on a tarmac for longer than three hours. Because the passengers were allowed to leave but chose to stay on the plane, the airline may be off the hook.