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American Airlines craft forced to return to Guyana
– passengers locked in cabin without working air conditioner for over two hours
The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), was swarmed by very angry and frustrated passengers on Saturday, all forced to return to the airport after an American Airline craft (bound for Miami) reportedly developed ‘cabin pressure problems’.
As a result of the situation, several passengers were reportedly airborne for over two hours in a cabin without air conditioning.
On Saturday, this publication spoke with several passengers stranded at the CJIA, and some indicated that the captain knew that the craft was ‘encountering cabin pressure problems’ but still decided to take the flight.
Among the disgruntled passengers on Saturday was former USA, NBA basketball player, Anthony Bonner, who was visiting on a special workshop. He said that the aircraft took off from the CJIA sometime after midday, and a short while after passengers became very uncomfortable as the cabin became hotter and hotter.
Stranded passengers at the CJIA on Saturday, after an American Airlines aircraft developed problems and was forced to return to Guyana
He said a few passengers realised that there was no air conditioning in the cabin, but could do nothing since the aircraft was already airborne. He said soon after the captain announced that the plane was having some technical problems. He said by this time, they were already in Trinidad, and passengers were creating quite a raucous as the heat in the cabin intensified. He said that they however could not land in Trinidad, and were informed that Trinidad at that time did not have a specialist to deal with the problems, which the craft was encountering. He said as a result, they circled above Trinidad for almost an hour, before being forced to return to Guyana, for emergency landing.
Tamesh Ramlagan, who was travelling to Miami said while air borne, the state of things in the cabin, had people sweating profusely, and many became alarmed and was even panicking. He said had least two passengers had to be given oxygen, and an old woman in a wheel chair fainted. She had to be revived by a flight attendant.
Linelle George who was travelling to the USA was furious, since she claims she had therefore missed several important appointments.
Several passengers expressed anger at the manner in which they were reportedly treated when the aircraft returned to CJIA. Some said they demanded refunds for air fare, but this was refused. Some said they were only refunded fees taken for baggage, and no attempts were made to provide any hotel accommodation, even though it was requested.
Passengers said when they returned to CJIA, they were shocked to discover that none of the American Airlines attendants who they had dealt with were around.
They said they only found one representative of Roraima Airways, who could not help them in any substantial manner.
While American Airlines does not have an office locally, Roraima Airways reportedly has a team that deals with their business transactions.
When Roraima Airways was contacted on Saturday evening, a female representative said she was not authorised to comment.
She also declined to provide a number for the company’s Public Relations representative.
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