A new federal rule that is supposed to prevent travelers from being stranded on airport tarmacs will be implemented too late to help Virgin America passengers marooned for 4½ hours at a little-used New York airport.
Virgin America Flight 404 was forced to land at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday after fierce winds made it impossible to land in New York City. The jet originated in Los Angeles and was bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Once on the ground, the pilot and crew quickly found themselves in a pickle while they waited for permission to get back in the air.
Virgin doesn't normally operate out of Stewart, meaning it had no staff to bring the passengers food, unload their bags, or arrange ground transportation for the 90-mile drive to Kennedy.
Just getting people off the plane was a problem, airline spokeswoman Abby Lunardini said.
"There was nowhere for us to go to get to a gate," she said. The airline doesn't rent gates at Stewart and didn't seek immediate help from competitors who do.
As the hours ticked by, the airline periodically asked the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, to give small groups of passengers rides to the terminal, but fliers were told that if they left they couldn't return.
There was also confusion about who was allowed to go and who had to stay aboard, said passenger David Martin, the CEO of a social networking site called Kontain, who posted live video updates on the ordeal as the episode unfolded.
Friday, March 19, 2010
United offers $25 door-to-door luggage service
United Airlines is offering door-to-door luggage service for $25 per item each way during spring break.
The overnight delivery service is provided through FedEx.
Customers who have booked travel between March 18 and March 29 within the continental U.S. on at least one United-operated or United-marketed flight are eligible.
Checking luggage normally during the same period will cost $20 to $25 for the first item and $30 to $35 for the second, depending when travel was booked.
The door-to-door deal is available until 5 p.m. Eastern time March 19 or supplies run out, United said in a statement Wednesday.
Travelers may purchase the door-to-door baggage option up to 10 days before departure.
The overnight delivery service is provided through FedEx.
Customers who have booked travel between March 18 and March 29 within the continental U.S. on at least one United-operated or United-marketed flight are eligible.
Checking luggage normally during the same period will cost $20 to $25 for the first item and $30 to $35 for the second, depending when travel was booked.
The door-to-door deal is available until 5 p.m. Eastern time March 19 or supplies run out, United said in a statement Wednesday.
Travelers may purchase the door-to-door baggage option up to 10 days before departure.
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