NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
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.
NEW STUDY REVEALS IN-FLIGHT RISKS AND DANGERS FOR MILLIONS OF OLDER TRAVELERS ON PLANES
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.
Passengers were upset with British Airways for stranding them (not pictured) in a freezing, isolated location in Canada, they said, after a medical emergency was suffered by a passenger onboard. (iStock)
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.
FLIGHT PASSENGERS SLAM AIRLINES FOR PUSHING EARLY BAG CHECKS EVEN WITH EMPTY BINS ON BOARD
Shipman was traveling with his family to Texas to see friends who moved to the United States a few years ago.
“We just sat around waiting for news.”
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.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
“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.
St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, is one of North America’s oldest cities, located on Canada’s eastern Atlantic coast. (iStock)
“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.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
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.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“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.
British Airways apologized for the inconvenience to passengers. “We’re very sorry to our customers for their experience, and we’ve been in touch to offer a gesture to make things right,” the airline told Fox News Digital. (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)
“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?”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
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.
Jessica Mekles is an editor on the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
