United Airlines has found itself trying to put out a customer service nightmare for the second time this week after nearly 300 Chicago-bound passengers were forced to spend the night on the floor of an airport terminal.
Flight UA971 was on its way to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport from Rome Saturday when the flight had to make an unscheduled diversion due to an unruly passenger aboard. Law enforcement met the crew at a terminal in Belfast, Northern Ireland to take the disruptive passenger into custody. The Boeing 777 landed at 6.59 p.m. local time.
“Then they left all the passengers, including my husband, on the tarmac in the plane for 5 hours before removing them and telling them to take their pillows and blankets because they will have to sleep on the floor in the Belfast airport,” Jacquelyn George wrote in an email to NBC Chicago.
A spokesperson for United Airlines could not confirm how many hours the passengers sat on the tarmac during the diversion, but asserted that by the time the incident was resolved the crew had reached FAA’s maximum work hour limits, so the plane was not able to travel on.
With not enough local hotel rooms available with room for the 269 passengers, they were asked to pass the time in the terminal.
@united - the scene in Belfast. No access to checked bags. No toiletries. #ShameOnUnited pic.twitter.com/Xalih6HSIB — Mike™ (@MTRafferty) June 21, 2015
U.S. & World
Customers were accommodated with food and “other services” to make them comfortable for the overnight stay, according to the airline’s spokesperson.
Chicago passenger Billy Saviano told NBC News the flight was finally supposed to leave the airport Sunday at 1 p.m. local time but it was delayed until 4 p.m. — 21 hours after they landed in the U.K. and some 24 hours after they originally left Italy.
Saviano also expressed frusteration in having to sit on the tarmac for a total of five hours before they were allowed inside. Then, he says, they were left in the dark once again.
"[United] had us sleeping on the baggage claim floor and then moved us to departures," Saviano added. "They never sent us someone to explain what was going on."
Rick Sliter, 42, from San Diego, was traveling with his 70-year-old mother and two children, aged 8 and 10. He told NBC News passengers were given a $23 voucher for meals, which was later increased to $70.
"I fully understand the compliance with FAA regulations but there was zero sense of urgency,” Stiler added. “Our bags are still on the plane. I can't imagine why they didn't [have] a different crew in here as quickly as possible."
The flight of passengers is expected to make their final landing in Chicago at 7:05 p.m. Sunday.
The complaints come exactly one week after the airline fought fury for forcing passengers to spend 20 hours in a Canadian military barracks during an unexpected stop from Chicago to London.
