News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Aug. 31, 2011: Caribbean Airlines’ service out of J.F.K. continued to stir the ire of several Guyanese fliers this week.
A group of 248 passengers have been waiting for a Caribbean Airlines flight to Guyana since the airport was shut down Saturday in anticipation of Hurricane Irene’s passage through New York.
On Tuesday, the passengers were still at the airport, trying to get on a flight, prompting them to begin protesting at JFK. Cops were called to Gate A-3 but no arrests were made.
Caribbean Airlines said it is trying to catch up on its backlog by leasing more planes.
“Caribbean Airlines understands the inconvenience at this time and we are working with the resources available to be able to clear the backlog which is spread throughout the region,” the airline said in a statement Tuesday.
The latest CAL complaints come just a month following a crash in Guyana of one of the carrier’s planes. Excessive speed and other suspected lapses in landing procedures executed by the pilot of a Caribbean Airlines flying to Guyana has been largely blamed for the July 30th crash.
Reports indicate that preliminary findings by investigator point to pilot error rather than mechanical or other system malfunctions.
Caribbean Airlines flight 523, en route from Trinidad to Guyana, overran the runway during landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana on July 30th at approximately 1:25 am (EDT).
Miraculously, no one died. Preliminary information from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has indicated that one serious and multiple minor injuries were reported aboard the Boeing 737-800, carrying 156 passengers and six crew members.
More than 14,000 flights out of area airports were canceled and airlines are actively playing catch-up.
