Passengers on an American Airlines flight from St. Croix to Miami endured more than 10 hours onboard after the aircraft was diverted to the Bahamas on Monday, September 8, because of bad weather and fuel limitations.
The flight departed Henry E. Rohlsen Airport at 1:47 p.m. and was expected to land in Miami at 4:54 p.m. Instead, inclement weather near Miami forced the plane to circle for about 30 minutes. Running low on fuel, the aircraft diverted and landed in the Bahamas at 5:03 p.m.
Although on the ground, passengers were not allowed to leave the plane. At the time of the original report on Monday evening, the aircraft had not pulled up to the gate because of the weather. Travelers were told they would need to wait until a new crew could take over before departing.
An update provided at 12:08 a.m. on Tuesday, September 9, revealed that a replacement set of pilots had boarded and the aircraft was preparing to leave the Bahamas for Miami. By then, passengers had been inside the plane for 10 hours and 21 minutes since leaving St. Croix.
During the delay, passengers were not permitted to exit, with reports that Bahamian customs would not allow anyone off the plane. Food was limited, with only light snacks such as pretzels and biscuits provided during the long wait.
The aircraft eventually resumed its journey to Miami early Tuesday morning, ending a day of frustration for travelers who spent more than 10 hours confined to their seats without the ability to disembark.
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