A Delta Air Lines flight en route from Amsterdam to Detroit was grounded in Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday, forcing hundreds of passengers to shelter in Canadian military barracks.
The airline said Delta Flight 135 made an unscheduled landing in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, located in central Labrador, after the plane experienced “mechanical issues.”
Delta Air Lines told The Associated Press its officials made the decision to land “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the plane’s pilot reported problems with engine deicing equipment, causing the plane to divert to the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Airport around 3:15 p.m. local time.
As a result, 270 passengers, three pilots and seven flight attendants were grounded as part of a 24-hour delay and made to shelter in the town’s military barracks.
After rerouting to Happy Valley-Goose Bay Airport, passengers reportedly waited to deplane on the tarmac for five hours. They were originally told another plane would take them to Detroit. The AP reported that the passengers did board another plane but were forced off again and later transported to the barracks around 6 a.m. on Monday.
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Delta said it suspended operations because “crew duty times were impacted due to weather and runway conditions at the Goose Bay airport.”
The FAA said it is investigating.
The Detroit-based news station WJBK-TV was the first to report about the diverted plane. The outlet spoke to passengers who said the plane took a “sharp turn” while in the air.
Tony Santoro, who was onboard the flight, said staying overnight in the military barracks “wasn’t too bad.”
“It honestly felt like a hotel,” he said. “We had soap, water, everything.”
The passengers were transported to the barracks onboard school buses. The airline and local officials collaborated to provide food, water and shelter.
Delta Air Lines said customers onboard the flight will be compensated for the inconvenience but did not provide specifics.
Finally, the passengers were able to fly out of Happy Valley-Goose Bay around 5 p.m. on Monday.
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, which had a population of just over 8,000 people in 2021, is often known for its stellar hospitality. The New York Times said locals from the area handed out hot chocolate and helped to ferry passengers onto the school buses.
The remote town, however, is not the only Newfoundland and Labrador community to show stranded travellers kindness.
In 2001, after the 9/11 attacks in New York City, thousands of in-flight passengers were grounded in the province. The majority of planes were rerouted to a small airport in Gander, N.L. The bonds that formed between stranded flight passengers and Gander’s locals served as inspiration for the highly successful Broadway musical Come From Away.
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