Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Mutiny on JetBlue!!
I always thought that there were other regulations (besides they needed to go through customs - weren't they coming back from Mexico?) that don't permit disembarking just because you want to (notwithstanding the turbulence situation on this flight and whatever other weather related problems they had)
.
This was a very troubling situation and I don't know why they can't make provisions for such circumstances. People getting sick and fainting? They could hire a bus and drive them all over to JFK.
When I had a MSP-ATL flight diverted to Huntsville last year because of the usual ATL thunderstorms, the head FA said that anyone who had Huntsville as a final destination and who did not have checked bags was welcome to get off as soon as they could find some plane stairs and a safe escort to the terminal- enough diversions to HSV that night they were just parking planes on open ramp space as they waited for the weather to clear.
I don’t know if airline policy/FAA rules would have required sending someone into the plane cargo area to pull bags if someone with a checked bag wanted of in Hunstville and I’m not sure if it got to that point before we got back in the air since I just put the headphones on for most of the delay and listened to tunes as I read an e-book for the rest of the diversion time.
The ‘hire a bus’ option actually happens more often than you’d think. The northern Gulf Coast is prone to bad coastal fog in early winter when water temperatures are warmer than air temperatures and your flight to Pensacola actually might involve a diversion to Dothen followed by a hastily arranged charter bus to your final destination.
For the curious, here’s a summary of the FAA tarmac delay rules. For international flights, Jet Blue has to arrange for CBP formalities within four hours of the start of the tarmac hold and offer a way off the plane at that point or else they get hit with a pretty significant fine-
For the curious, here’s a summary of the FAA tarmac delay rules. For international flights, Jet Blue has to arrange for CBP formalities within four hours of the start of the tarmac hold and offer a way off the plane at that point or else they get hit with a pretty significant fine-
But... This wasn't a Tarmac Delay, for one:
"A tarmac delay occurs when an airplane on the ground is either awaiting takeoff or has just landed and passengers do not have the opportunity to get off the plane."
And two, even if it were:
Are there any exceptions to these requirements?
Yes. Exceptions to the time limits are allowed only for safety, security, or air traffic control-related reasons. You should not exit the airplane unless told by the airline that you can do so safely.
Weather conditions prevented them from landing. We also don't know what ATC instructed them to do. It's very possible that ATC was instructing them to attempt to land (and abort) at JFK.
Finally, it appears that despite the above, they still did not exceed the tarmac hold threshold, even though this was not a tarmac delay at all.
It’s the pilot’s final call on when to abort and go round; if they decide they want to divert, ATC will give them a path to an acceptably safe diversion option at that point and not try to talk them into trying again at JFK. The pilot will, however consult their airline operations department to see which available diversion airport would minimize disruptions for the airline. (The closest diversion point for a non-time critical diversion may have limited refueling and terminal services for that airline so they may be diverted further out.)
I don't think anyone at that point was concerned about what would be faster. I bet most of those folks would have preferred waiting hours for EWR CBP to open or be available than to go back up in that turbulent air again. They were terrified and sickened after what they had been through.
Turbulence is a risk in any flight, just like pot holes are on the road. If you can't deal with turbulence without having a meltdown, you shouldn't get on a plane.
Quote:
Originally Posted by roodd279
...
5. If that plane had splat-landed upside down at JFK it would really put this 1-hour delay and some mild barfing into perspective.
Or even worse, hit another plane while diverting to Newark. I can't believe anyone actually thinks the pilot should do whatever the passengers are demanding instead of following ATC's directions.
Turbulence is a risk in any flight, just like pot holes are on the road. If you can't deal with turbulence without having a meltdown, you shouldn't get on a plane.
Apparently that was severe turbulence that they went through for multiple attempted landings. I don't blame anyone for being unsettled after that and not wanting to put themselves right back in the same situation. Especially the people who were sick because of it.
But... This wasn't a Tarmac Delay, for one:
"A tarmac delay occurs when an airplane on the ground is either awaiting takeoff or has just landed and passengers do not have the opportunity to get off the plane."
I don't understand this comment. I thought the plane had just landed at EWR?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
