'Scary day for America'
People line up to try to retrieve luggage during delays and cancellations at LaGuardia Airport on Friday in New York City. Credit: Getty Images/Adam Gray
For Drew James, 24, a musician from Providence, RI, what was supposed to be a 15-minute layover turned into 8 hour ordeal.
At 2:25 p.m. he bolted off one plane at LaGuardia to catch his connecting flight to Detroit but was stranded instead. “We sat on the tarmac for what felt like an eternity,” James said. After an hour and a half, he said the captain announced a delay due to “safety concerns,” but assured passengers they would be taking off soon. “I believed him. That was the problem. We didn't take off. I think we sat there for like an hour and 15, hour 20. We deplaned.”
He added, “Then it just became a cycle of delay, delay, delay, delay.”
“But yeah, scary day for America.” As far as what’s next, he said he tried booking a rental car but when he got to the counter he and other customers were turned away because no more cars were available. He is supposed to perform at show in Detroit Saturday. His dad was getting behind the wheel to pick him up.
Even after learning flights will resume, James is a bit apprehensive.
“So I fly once a week, and the one thing that this all made me think about is what's the future of flying for the nation?”
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.
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