New York air travellers are stranded on tarmac

Milder weather is forecast for the next few days but the impact of New York’s sixth biggest snowstorm on record is still being felt by air travellers.

Planes are now getting in and out of airports serving the blizzard-hit Big Apple yet lengthy delays and some cancellations continue.

Difficult journeys include a New York bound Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong. Diverted to Toronto passengers were allowed to disembark, but:
“They gave us a meal voucher for 20 dollars and … that is really not cutting it,” said passenger Gigi Godfrey.

After finally landing at JFK, travellers said the plane was kept on the tarmac for some 10 hours.

“We left Hong Kong on New York time the 26th, 9.30pm, night time,” said fellow passenger Maria Chang. “Now, I just got here today. It is the 28th. 26th to the 28th is 40 hours. Flying from Hong Kong. I think I can go around the world.”

And more patience is required. With thousands of flights cancelled or delayed, airlines could need days to work through the backlog.

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