Passengers stuck on plane for nearly 28 hours

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**Frazzled**

Oh man, thats a trip to sucktown right there.

http://abc7news.com/travel/dozens-stuck-on-plane-for-almost-28-hours-land-at-sfo/461134/

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Calif. (KGO) -- Dozens of passengers are finally on the ground at San Francisco International Airport after being stuck on a plane for nearly 28 hours. It all began with a freak fog incident that shut down an airport in Abu Dhabi.

For passengers aboard Etihad Airlines Flight 183, frustration had been brewing for hours.

"They kept telling us that we were going to leave, you know 15 minutes from now, 20 minutes from now, 30 minutes for now, for 12 hours," said passenger Thomas Piani.

Fellow passenger Polkit Pahwa added, "Because of the bad weather and the gates, all the flights were grounded or canceled, so they didn't have enough space in the airport to accommodate us to take us out."

A passenger shared a picture of the fog in Abu Dhabi that kept their flight and others grounded for so long.

The plane loaded with kids, seniors, and hundreds of other passengers then had to make the 16 hour flight there to San Francisco for a grand total of 28 hours on the same plane.

"Everybody was fighting with each other, and the flight attendants were fighting with us, and we were fighting with the flights attendants," said passenger Venkatesh Pahwa.

Pahwa says passengers did calm down in flight. For his parents, it was a nerve racking wait. All they could send their dad was a text from another passengers' phone.

"Etihad has a website but there was no updated information on the website. You call their number, it just puts you in a loop," said passenger Ajay Pahwa.

Among the last to leave the flight was 77-year-old Leela Nariani. Her daughter, Anita Nariani, is furious with the airline.

"To have them just waiting, especially if they are seniors traveling on it, they've gotta pull them," she said.

The airline has apologized for the delay. They say the fog caused them to cancel 20 flights in Abu Dhabi. One couple says they're happy the fight wasn't canceled.

"We had already had another flight earlier canceled on this trip and it was a nightmare," said Megan Hamilton.

Her boyfriend just proposed on this trip. So she has reason to be happy.

The U.S. Department of Transportation prohibits lengthy tarmac delays. The maximum allowed for international flights is four hours. And carriers must make sure passengers are provided adequate food and water.

However, the rules only apply to U.S. airports, and do not apply to foreign carriers overseas.
Map My News

**CptJake**

<insert Nelson HaHa gif here>

Better them than me.

**Dreadclaw69**

I had the 'pleasure' of being stuck on a plane for 8 hours while they attempted to fix the issue. And that was bad enough, compunded by the only food being provided being a small packet of pretzels and a cup of water, I can't imagine another 20 hours on top of that

**djones520**

Winter time fog in that part of the world can be a real bitch to forecast for. It literally can just appear out of no where.

**LordofHats**

I sense a sequel to The Terminal

**SilverMK2**

Somewhat surprised space was not cleared in the terminal for them to deplane after a few hours. Not that it would have particulalrly more comfortable it would at least have given people more chance to stretch their legs.

**Commander Cain**

I was once on a flight where I noticed that there was a flappy bit on the wing I was sat next to. When I pointed it out to a flight attendant she went off to the pilot's cabin and we promptly turned right around and headed back to the airport we came from. I am baffled as to why seeing as we were only 30 minutes away from our destination and instead of landing there we spent another 4 hours going right back the way we came.
The glares I got from the other passengers when we finally got home were terrifying...

Also, a 28 hour flight sounds like an excellent form of torture, confined spaces for that long would drive anyone insane.

**Matthew**

I hope that there were no crying babies on that plane...

**whembly**

Matthew wrote:
I hope that there were no crying babies on that plane...

One of the only few advantages I have wearing hearing aids...

I can take 'em out... and sweet, delicious silence.

**juraigamer**

Snakes were on which plane?

**daedalus**

On one hand, I feel like this could go in First World Problems. On the other hand, there's got to be a better way of handling this kind of thing. Maybe a sports bar located just off tarmac that they could send people to after a couple hours?

**MrDwhitey**

whembly wrote:
Matthew wrote:
I hope that there were no crying babies on that plane...

One of the only few advantages I have wearing hearing aids...

I can take 'em out... and sweet, delicious silence.

First time I've heard of this benefit, and I never thought of it before but, wow. Yeah.

Crying babies are vicious.

**Frazzled**

daedalus wrote:
On one hand, I feel like this could go in First World Problems. On the other hand, there's got to be a better way of handling this kind of thing. Maybe a sports bar located just off tarmac that they could send people to after a couple hours?

How about simply pulling them up to a gate, and getting them off the plane?

**whembly**

Frazzled wrote:
daedalus wrote:
On one hand, I feel like this could go in First World Problems. On the other hand, there's got to be a better way of handling this kind of thing. Maybe a sports bar located just off tarmac that they could send people to after a couple hours?

How about simply pulling them up to a gate, and getting them off the plane?

Not easy... they *claim* that it's a big security issue to do so.

Not sure why?

**daedalus**

Frazzled wrote:
daedalus wrote:
On one hand, I feel like this could go in First World Problems. On the other hand, there's got to be a better way of handling this kind of thing. Maybe a sports bar located just off tarmac that they could send people to after a couple hours?

How about simply pulling them up to a gate, and getting them off the plane?

I was going to accept that it was logistically difficult to make sure everyone was together and where you could load them back up on a moment's notice. That was my first thought though.

**Jihadin**

Gate time is slotted for other aircrafts

**Frazzled**

They don't need a moment's notice. AFter an hour, schedule in to dump off.

This is a problem in other locations. Similar problems happen. Its stupid and I think there's now even a federal law because they kept doing that crap here.

**hotsauceman1**

I have a theory that he'll is just nothing being stuck next to a crying baby for all eternity.

**Jihadin**

Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

**CptJake**

Jihadin wrote:
Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

Was it configured with inboard and outboard facing seats?

If so, <insert Nelson HAHA gif here>

**Kid_Kyoto**

Jihadin wrote:
Gate time is slotted for other aircrafts

Also unlike a snow storm the fog can literally clear in a few minutes and offer a narrow window. Once you go back to the gate you're looking at an hour or more to round everyone up and reboard them. So there is some logic to staying on the tarmac and hoping for a chance.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

CptJake wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

Was it configured with inboard and outboard facing seats?

If so, <insert Nelson HAHA gif here>

???

**Frazzled**

Jihadin wrote:
Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

with a crying baby?

**Jihadin**

Frazzled wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

with a crying baby?

You become a baby after four hours. Also you don't eat solid food for two days before the flight.

**CptJake**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Gate time is slotted for other aircrafts

Also unlike a snow storm the fog can literally clear in a few minutes and offer a narrow window. Once you go back to the gate you're looking at an hour or more to round everyone up and reboard them. So there is some logic to staying on the tarmac and hoping for a chance.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

CptJake wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

Was it configured with inboard and outboard facing seats?

If so, <insert Nelson HAHA gif here>

???

There is something magical about being crammed into a C130 with your knees fighting for space with the guy you are facing, and both your rucks/weapons (and maybe chutes). It is even more magical when one of the guys near you barfs, causing a chain reaction of vomit. The Air Force crew chiefs love that.

That is looking up one aisle, you can see the other on the left of the picture. Look at how packed those guys are where they are facing each other.

**Jihadin**

CptJake wrote:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Gate time is slotted for other aircrafts

Also unlike a snow storm the fog can literally clear in a few minutes and offer a narrow window. Once you go back to the gate you're looking at an hour or more to round everyone up and reboard them. So there is some logic to staying on the tarmac and hoping for a chance.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

CptJake wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Flown across the Atlantic in a C130...

Was it configured with inboard and outboard facing seats?

If so, <insert Nelson HAHA gif here>

???

There is something magical about being crammed into a C130 with your knees fighting for space with the guy you are facing, and both your rucks/weapons (and maybe chutes). It is even more magical when one of the guys near you barfs, causing a chain reaction of vomit. The Air Force crew chiefs love that.

That is looking up one aisle, you can see the other on the left of the picture. Look at how packed those guys are where they are facing each other.

You pray your number is the "Golden Number" to sit across the wheel well. As shown right of picture

**MrDwhitey**

Is there like, another way to get up and down the plane during flight?

Also, what are they sitting on, I assume you use something to sit on and not just plonk yourself down on those metal rollers.

**Jihadin**

MrDwhitey wrote:
Is there like, another way to get up and down the plane during flight?

Also, what are they sitting on, I assume you use something to sit on and not just plonk yourself down on those metal rollers.

Buddy help to get up and use the net and metal bar to help keep yourself stable as everyone help fold the canvas bench's upright.

Canvas benches can be seen bottom left corner of pic for an idea.

Edit

Rollers are stacked against the wheel well wall on top of each other. Their hook points, one can be seen, below the a boot (triangle)

**Ouze**

whembly wrote:
One of the only few advantages I have wearing hearing aids...

I can take 'em out... and sweet, delicious silence.

My stepson wears hearing aids and when we'd get mad at him about something, he'd take them out and go play video games.

**hotsauceman1**

CptJake wrote:

That guy on the right has a "I just let out a big fart" look on his face

**Jihadin**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
CptJake wrote:

That guy on the right has a "I just let out a big fart" look on his face

All good as long as he didn't puke.