ROMULUS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Dozens of passengers were trapped on a United Airlines tarmac in Newark for approximately eight hours Monday night before their flight to Detroit was ultimately canceled.
Flavia Deluczas was among those passengers who experienced the extended delay with limited access to food and water.
"It's just basically waiting there and not knowing what's going to happen, whether you need to rebook your flight or whether you're going to make it to your destination," Deluczas said.
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The passengers were provided only basic snacks like pretzels and cookies during the lengthy delay, according to Deluczas.
"I was super thankful that I ate before I got on the plane because I would've been like seven hours without a meal," Deluczas said. "The only thing that kind of freaked me out is that they were running really low on water, so I just feel like if we would have been on there longer, it would have been a no-water situation."
United Airlines attributed the delay to severe weather conditions that impacted operations at Newark Liberty airport, which led to a ground stop to manage volume and limit congestion.
In a statement, the airline said:
"On Monday, severe weather conditions impacted operations at Newark Liberty with a ground stop issued to manage volume and limit congestion. We worked with customers on delayed or canceled flights to get them on their way as soon as possible, and we’ve added a weather waiver to give them maximum flexibility. We also encouraged customers to download our mobile app or visit united.com to check their flight status and view the latest information."
Deluczas questioned the airline's decision-making process regarding the delay.
"I kind of feel like weather technology is advanced enough that you can use radar and you know it's rolling in. And if it's that likely that you're not going to be able to take off, then maybe you shouldn't move away from the gate," Deluczas said.
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Passengers who experienced this flight delay or similar situations can file a complaint with the airline or reach out to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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