ORLANDO, Fla. _ What should have been an eight-hour flight from Orlando to London on British Airways turned into a three-day travel nightmare for 250 passengers last week.
Flight 2036 was scheduled to take off from Orlando International Airport on Thursday evening to Gatwick Airport but was grounded until Friday because of mechanical issues, the airline said.
When it finally got off the ground Friday evening, it was soon diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport early Saturday morning in New York "as a precaution" because of a minor technical issue, airline spokeswoman Michele Kropf said Monday in an email.
"We appreciate that this was an exhausting and frustrating experience for our customers, and we have apologized for the long delay to their flight," Kropf said.
The airline sent a relief aircraft to JFK Airport, and the weary passengers eventually made it to London on Sunday.
"Customers were rebooked where possible and while there were limited hotel rooms available, our teams on the ground cared for customers in our first-class lounge, providing bedding, food and drinks to ensure they were comfortable during their stay," Kropf said.
But passengers on the flight tweeted that the accommodations on the airline were less than hospitable. Many complained of scarce food sources, spotty communication from airline officials and having to sleep on airport floors.
"You have completely ruined our dream holiday. Ruined it," United Kingdom resident and passenger Neal Chapman tweeted.
