A holiday escape to the paradise of the Turks and Caicos turned into a tortuous ordeal for dozens of JetBlue passengers after their flight home to Boston was cancelled leaving them stranded on the island with no place to go.
Those who were supposed to be traveling on the flight back to the U.S. on December 28 have described their experience as a ‘nightmare’ after staff at Providenciales International Airport said passengers had to leave the premises in order for it to close.
The troubles began when their inbound JetBlue aircraft faced an unexpected diversion to Fort Lauderdale due to air traffic control congestion leaving it unable to reach the archipelago.
It meant there was no aircraft arriving on the island to operate JetBlue Flight 754 back to Boston for a further 24 hours.
Passengers already frustrated by hours of delays were then told to leave the Turks and Caicos airport late at night without any assistance or offer of accommodation from the airline.
Most hotels were fully booked for the holiday period meaning most had no place to go.
‘To put people out on the streets like animals was definitely something I will never forget for the rest of my life,’ said Marty, a father of three, recounting the harrowing night to Boston25News.
Stranded with his exhausted children and distressed wife, Marty faced a heart-wrenching reality.
It was a scene of chaos after a flight to Boston from the Turks and Caicos was cancelled
Some children were forced to sleep on the floor with neither the airport or airline providing help
Stretchers were ultimately provided by the airport for stranded customers – but not until the following morning
‘For the first time as a husband and as a father and as a man, I had no idea how I was going to shelter my family for a night.’
Another passenger, Brett, described the chaos that ensued.
With no hotel rooms available on the island, Brett said he and others were left begging for answers.
‘We just kept saying, ‘Where do you want us to go? What are we supposed to do? How are you kicking us to the street like dogs in a foreign country?’ he explained.
Brett eventually secured an Airbnb for his group and managed to cram ten people into a rental in what he described as a ‘horrible, sketchy area.’
He painted a chilling picture of their journey, with wild dogs chasing their cab through dimly lit streets.
Although crime on the island is low, muggings and armed assaults do occur, mostly in areas popular with tourists.
‘It was like something out of a horror movie. The kids were freaking out, asking, “What are we going to do?” Brett said.
‘We just kept saying, ‘Where do you want us to go? What are we supposed to do? How are you kicking us to the street like dogs in a foreign country?’ he explained
‘To put people out on the streets like animals was definitely something I will never forget for the rest of my life,’ said Marty, a father of three, recounting the harrowing night
JetBlue acknowledged the delay in a statement, citing circumstances ‘beyond our control’
Most hotels were fully booked for the holiday period meaning most customers had no place to go after their flight home was cancelled and delayed for 24 hours
Others were not as fortunate, with some forced to wander the streets in search of safety.
By morning, cots had been brought into the airport for passengers unable to find shelter, yet even this measure came too late for many, who had endured an uncomfortable, sleepless, night.
JetBlue acknowledged the delay in a statement, citing circumstances ‘beyond our control.’
The airline explained the flight’s diversion and promised reimbursements for eligible expenses, along with $200 in travel credits as a goodwill gesture.
‘We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this delay caused and understand this was a frustrating situation,’ the statement read.
The airline also pointed how how Flight 754 was one of at least three flights on December 28, operated by different airlines, that were either canceled or significantly delayed.
The airport ultimately decided to remain open and provided cots only after another airline canceled an additional flight later that night.
For passengers like Marty, however, the airline’s apology fell far short of addressing the trauma they experienced.
‘This was far beyond a delay; this was sending people to the streets in the wee hours of the night and asking them to fend for themselves with no solutions,’ he said.
‘Airlines need to do better,’ added Brett. ‘No one should have to go through this.’
