(CNN) – Air traffic control was suspended for parts of Jamaica on Thursday morning and afternoon, forcing flights to be canceled and leaving thousands of frustrated passengers stranded there or unable to reach the Caribbean.
MBJ Airports Limited, the operator of Sangster International Airport near the popular resort of Montego Bay, confirmed in a press release from CNN that the flights were canceled on Thursday morning “due to air traffic disruptions.”
The board for arrivals at the airport began showing cancellations around 9:30 a.m. local time on May 12. The departures board also starts posting cancellations around 10:30 p.m.
The flights of American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United were canceled, among others.
A similar story took place at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, the capital. Arrivals began to be canceled around 11:30 am and departures were canceled at 12:19 pm.
Kurt Solomon, president of the Jamaica Air Traffic Controllers Association, told CNN that flights would resume at 5 p.m. local time on May 12.
Robert Nesta Morgan, a minister without portfolio in charge of information in the prime minister’s office, posted a news release on his Twitter account confirming that flights were resumed.
“The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) wishes to inform the public that as the dialogue between the Authority and its key stakeholders, in particular the Jamaica Air Traffic Controllers Association (JATCA), progresses, air traffic services are currently being restored. “, Said in a statement. .
Since then Sangster has shown one take-off, Delta Flight DL1987 at 17:07 Manley has shown one arrival, British Airways Flight BA2263 at 16:43.
Limited staff
Sharon Hislop, Sangster’s commercial development and marketing manager, told CNN that the airport was informed Thursday morning that the Kingston Air Traffic Control Center did not have enough support for air traffic due to “limited staff.”
The JCAA then decided to suspend air traffic services and flights, Hislop said.
The Kingston Air Traffic Control Center oversees operations at all three of Jamaica’s international airports: Sangster, Manly and Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios.
CNN Travel contacted the JCAA for comment by email and phone on Thursday afternoon, but received no response at 8 p.m. ET.
Passengers are shown stranded in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on May 12, 2022.
TVJ
Hislop estimates that there are about 100 passengers on each flight affected by the suspension.
Shops at the airport had to stay open at night, as some passengers were expected to stay in Sangster overnight, Hislop told CNN.
Local media described the situation as a strike, although no CNN spokesman confirmed that it was.
“This is what we hear, but we can’t know for sure,” Hislop said when asked if a strike by air traffic controllers had led to limited staff, which in turn had led to flight delays.
Solomon said an “emergency team” working at the Kingston Air Traffic Control Center on Thursday morning was unable to continue, and the team stopped. Solomon could not say why they stopped working.
The emergency team consists of senior staff for air traffic controllers.
Solomon also told CNN that there are ongoing equipment problems at the Kingston Air Traffic Control Center and they have been going on for several years.
Disappointments of passengers
Justin Novak told CNN he was flying from Toronto to Montego Bay on Thursday when his flight was reversed about 30 minutes before landing.
Novak says the pilots did not say much, except that they were forced to turn around.
“It was a tense return home. Mixed reactions, but the majority visibly upset,” Novak said.
Novak went to Jamaica for an eight-day vacation with his wife. He will now lose two of the days due to the delays, he said.
“What I don’t understand is that they obviously knew it was happening, but they still allowed us to get on the plane,” Novak added. “We are rescheduled for 12 o’clock tomorrow [Friday, May 13]but who knows what will happen. “
Erin Fletcher Langan also had problems on Thursday while flying from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Jamaica for work.
She was in Atlanta when the trouble started. Her flight was delayed, then canceled, and then there was hope when staff told them the Sangster (MBJ) was reopened. It was then officially repealed again.
“It was a train of emotions. When they said MBJ was opening, everyone applauded and applauded. When they said it was canceled (again), people weren’t necessarily crazy, they were sad. People were crying.” Said Fletcher Langen.
She said people at the airport say they have not traveled for a long time and many people travel for weddings.
She said she hoped to take off on a rescheduled flight on Friday.
Refusals are offered
American Airlines, which has more flights to Sangster than any other airline, has issued a fee exemption to change affected passengers.
“Due to air traffic disruptions affecting air travel in Jamaica, Delta has issued a travel exemption for those whose travel may be affected between May 12-13,” the news website said.
“This refusal allows the price difference for customers to be canceled when the re-booked trip takes place on or before 16 May 2022 in the same service cabin as the one originally booked.
You should check with your carrier to see if your flight has been interrupted.
Top image: General view of Norman Manley International Airport from 2016 (Henry Romero / Reuters)
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