Hundreds stranded for days on remote island in freezing weather after emergency flight diversion
Flight passengers are blasting British Airways after they said they were left stranded for days amid arctic-like temperatures in St. John's, a city in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Their plane, which departed from London, England, and was headed to Houston, Texas, had an unplanned landing in Newfoundland on Tuesday, March 31, due to a health emergency.
The plane was then further delayed due to a technical issue, British Airways said of the incident.
"We’re very sorry to our customers for their experience, and we’ve been in touch to offer a gesture to make things right," British Airways told Fox News Digital in a statement.
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Nevertheless, passengers are still speaking out on social media and in interviews, with many criticizing the airline for what they felt was a chaotic experience.
"Furious is an understatement. We are being told we are now heading to Houston. I won't believe it 'til we take off," Jon Shipman of Liverpool, England, told the BBC before his departure.
Temperatures in St. John's on March 31 were freezing, passengers claimed.
The high that day was 23 degrees Fahrenheit, while the low was 14 degrees, per WeatherUnderground.
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Shipman was traveling with his family to Texas to see friends who moved to the United States a few years ago.
He said passengers were notified three hours after takeoff that there was a "grave medical emergency" on board, according to BBC Radio Merseyside. He said the passengers "sat on the plane for three hours."
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"They then told us the plane had developed a technical issue; then they told us the plane could not be fixed, and we had to be taken off and put up in local hotels."
He said passengers couldn't access their luggage. He also claimed he did not receive much assistance from the airline.
"We just sat around waiting for news, and had to speak to local airport staff for help," Shipman said.
The travelers were extremely frustrated, he added.
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He described a scene in which some travelers were sleeping on the floor.
"Most of the frustration was due to a lack of information. Just be open and explain what's happening, you know?" Shipman said.
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"We're not soft. We understand there was a medical emergency. We understand there's a technical issue."
Heather McKinnon, general manager at the Delta Hotel in St. John's, said it was a very tough delay for the 255 passengers.
But she disputed the claim about "freezing" temperatures at St. John's that day.
"It's hardly frozen," McKinnon told The Canadian Press.
"While it was cold that day, and it was wintry the next day, we're offering warm hospitality. And that's the main thing, right?"
St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, is one of North America’s oldest cities, located on Canada’s eastern Atlantic coast.
Known for its colorful row houses and historic harbor, it blends maritime heritage with a lively arts and cultural scene, set against rugged coastal landscapes.