Airlines detail rescue plans for passengers stranded by storm
Airlines are operating near normal schedules to New York today with only minor delays or cancellations but they are urging passengers to check their websites first to make sure their flights are operating and not to travel to airports unless they have confirmed bookings.
British Airways is operating a full schedule to and from Newark Airport and close to a full schedule to and from JFK today. The 18:00 BA 179 has been cancelled and instead an additional flight, BA 113, will depart from Newark at 18.30 to fly home passengers who were stranded during storm Sandy.
It has flown more BA staff to both airports and added more ticket machines in the airport terminals to help customers re-book and check-in as fast as possible. BA is giving passengers due to travel up to and including November 7 the option to delay their travel until November 30.
Virgin flights are operating normally today but the airline is not accepting any standby passengers on flights between the UK and New York. It added an extra flight yesterday in order to repatriate stranded passengers.
Virgin said it hoped to have repatriated the majority of stranded passengers by Sunday.
United Airlines is also running a near-normal schedule today but flight UA111 from Heathrow to Newark, due to depart at 15.50 has been cancelled.
American Airlines resumed flights out of JKF last night and resumed flights to JFK today and hopes to resume services to and from New York LaGuardia this afternoon. It said it was awaiting confirmation on Newark. All passengers with reservations up to November 7, booked no later than October 30, are being allowed to delay their travel up to December 20.
BA is giving passengers due to travel up to and including November 7 the option to delay their travel until November 30.
Under EC regulations, airlines are obliged to refund passengers stranded in New York for overnight accommodation and food and drink. BA said it was unable to estimate how much this would cost the airline at this stage. Details of care packages are available on the airlines’ websites.
LaGuardia Airport, which was worst hit by flooding, is due to reopen later today but with limited flights.
Meanwhile, authorities in New York City are continuing a clean-up operation following storm Sandy. TravelMole’s US correspondent and New York resident Gretchen Kelly provides an update on the latest situation in the city here.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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