In a rare move, American Airlines American Airlines diverted a domestic flight to a foreign country and passengers are calling themselves illegal immigrants to the Bahamas.
American Airlines flight 2421 from San Juan to Miami wound up in Nassau on Saturday. Passengers couldn’t leave the terminal. Most weren’t carrying passports. “It’s like The Terminal with Tom Hanks” said one viewer of video on social media.
The roughly two hour journey ran into weather. Diversions of domestic flights are usually domestic, but between these two U.S. points are foreign country countries. Reportedly the pilot asked, ‘who here has their passports and who doesn’t?’ Crew timed out.
‘We land the plane, we’re sitting on the tarmac for two hours, we got off the plane, turns out the pilot can’t do overtime or something so we had to get off the plane,’ … ‘We got off here, we can’t leave the terminal cos we’re not allowed to be here, we are illegally here and not only can’t we leave the airport, we can’t leave the terminal, we can’t do anything.’
The passengers found themselves herded into a terminal chilled by air conditioning where they were left without food, water, or blankets overnight.
…’Matter of fact we’ve been looking at the computer, after a while they turned the computer off because they didn’t want us looking at it. ‘Now people are having medical emergencies, there’s medication on the plane, It’s on the plane!
The customer complained, ‘We’re on hour seven of being here; no food, no water, it’s cold, there’s no blankets, we have one bathroom for 100 people, dogs, children, no information.’
Eventually the plane was ferried out of Nassau that night, but it was twelve hours after that before passengers were flown on to Miami. And the Nassau airport is a pretty miserable place to be stuck overnight.
@italiankate @American Airlines #americanairlines #flight #flightdelay #customerservice ♬ original sound – italiankate
According to an American Airlines spokesperson,
On August 3, American Airlines flight 2421 with service from Puerto Rico (SJU) to Miami (MIA) was impacted by severe weather and diverted to Nassau (NAS). The flight continued on to MIA once the weather conditions allowed us to safely do so. Operating safely is always our priority — especially in dynamic weather events — and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience experienced as a result of the weather.
Last year JetBlue diverted a Newark – Fort Lauderdale flight to Nassau as well. And that was the first time in my own memory that I could think of this happening. It’s certainly undesirable for airlines and customers. I’d have rather seen American turn around and go back to San Juan if they were still able to do so.
Just curious: why didn’t the passengers who had passports buy some food for those who were stuck at the airport! Or better still, wouldn’t be cool to have had some food paid for by the airline even if passengers had to pay back!
If you had your own plane, you’d be home now.
I agree that it was out of AA control. But you can’t tell me that this is the first time they’ve had to land in another country due to weather or mechanical issues. So AA should have made arrangements/footed the bill to get food, water and blankets for these passengers.
American Airlines is terrible I told I cannot sit in middle because of blood clot in leg guess where my seat was such idiots that only seat we have I have a letter and everything they had no choice but to put in first class or they would have put me up in hotel and fly next day I always fly with my doctors note they had to call, supervisor and everything and it was it in Computer they do not look. I never have issues with spirit or with frontier only with major ones. They wonder they are losing money the big ones
The same happened to us a few years ago also with American Airlines. We flew from Phoenix to Miami in First Class but a very brief storm prevented us from landing and for some inexplicable reason we were diverted to Nassau rather than another airport in Florida. In Nassau we sat on the plane for hours before deplaning at night and herded into a waiting room. There was nobody from AA there and despite asking the crew to get someone nobody ever arrived. The airport closed, we had no food or water and the crew departed for who knows where so we had no idea what was going on. We sat in this miserable cramped with not enough seats for everyone for several hours before another aircraft arrived to take us back to Miami where we landed at about 3AM. Yet again there was absolutely nobody from AA to look after us. We grabbed a taxi and went to an airport hotel. We wound up losing our $500+ hotel we had booked in Palm Beach, our rental car reservation plus had to search around for another at a much higher rate and lost a whole day of a one week vacation. I lodged a complaint with AA who would only offer a measly 10,000 point credit, which is of no use because we will never fly this utterly mismanaged airline ever again.
Anyone who flies American Airlines gets exactly what they deserve. I have zero sympathy for the passengers. Fly a better airline or stay home
This is why you should always travel with your passport. I have had yo use it to verify my age at a few bars because they can’t do out of state IDs. Also you never know if you might end up in a foreign country.
The passengers should have stopped the airline crew from leaving airport and make them strand with them. This kind of crew deserves punishment.
Safety first…. but this pilot can’t drive beyond certain hours needs rethinking.
Good questions in the comments. Why fellow passengers did not help?
I wonder how many passengers are trying to figure out how much they can sue for
So where did all the other planes go that had to divert or was it just this one plane that diverted? Also, did it take all the other planes 14 hours to get to Miami after diverting or was it just this one flight?
These problems can happen domestically on AA. I’m an engineer, get sent who knows where. When I go, I don’t know when the problem will get fixed and when I can leave.
I’m in Dallas, get done with job. I call AA at the 1-800 number and am told they can’t reschedule an open ticket over the phone, I have to go to DFW airport.
I go early the next morning. Get to ticket counter and am told they can’t rebook, have to go to gate. But I can’t take my equipment through security. They’re sure I’ll get on flight number xxx. Check my bags, go through security. Go to the gate.
Am told I can’t get on the flight, I have to call the 1-800 number.
Good thing I have good self control or I might have been arrested.
Shoulda woulda coulda. Unfortunately none of it was a possibility. They are transportation company, not magicians.
Perhaps this is a lesson for everyone to travel with your passport.
Things happen…you have to be proactive when you travel…..
It could have easily been a medical emergency for more than one passenger.
Just saying…..
When I got my passport I added on the passport ID card it comes with me everywhere most of the people I know that have applied for passports in the last six or so years have paid the extra money for it as far as I know it’s just as acceptable as a passport I’m not sure about Europe but I do know people who have gone to islands off of the United States that will accept them
The problem with the airport in Nassau is all shops and restaurants close around 6/7 pm so when these diversions start coming in, there is zero food service . These diversions are supposed to be simply to refuel and get out but it is not always that simple. Some end up requiring maintenance and in other cases crew time out. When this happens the situation becomes complicated . But in this case, a domestic flights should have never been rerouted to an international port. Florida is just a stone’s throw away!!!
Even the once-premium airline Lufthansa has become a sh*t carrier! In June, we experienced last-minute flight cancellations, 3.5 hr flight delays, no access to a live Lufthansa agent and losing our business class seats to economy seats!
@ Michael — So, now a doctor’s note can require an airline to put you in first class? Good luck with that. I recommend you purchase first class.
Not like the Bahamas has 24 hour amazing service available from any number of quality providers. It would require payment up front, and somebody proactively working on the pax behalf. Not something anyone should expect from American any more.
American Airlines has posted profits of more than 11 billion in 2023 and they have no contingency plans for passengers of such emergencies? Totally unacceptable!! Vendors from these counties will be happy to provide services to such companies! They(AA), need to be held accountable. I agree that more legal actions should be pursued to prevent these companies from mistreating customers and they must be responsible for providing food and comfort for passengers of these emergencies.
@ Susan
Passport ID card is not valid as passport, unless you use it when driving to/from U.S. And Canada.
American Airline is the WORSE airline I have ever have the displeasure of traveling with, Do yourself a favor and DON’T travel with AA, They are incompetent don’t care about their passengers and commit illegalities like this every day, the FAA and FBI should launch an investigation on this “unexpected landings” in the Bahamas, they might be loading drugs in planes from the Bahamas to Miami just like the cartels used to do back in the days. Just a thought…
I never carry a passport unless flying internationally. Also only about 30% of Americans have passports.
The Bahamas airport usually kicks out everyone at night. Had a flight cancelled was told had to leave as they were closing, if u didn’t leave u would be arrested.
When it is open, it’s not a great place to wait
We, all of you reading this are getting shared the Truth that is the cure and prevention of all needless and preventable suffering and death: “Life is Most Important in Life is The Most Important Truth in Life”, whether you like it or want it, or not. If you didn’t want it and are not a person who is now going to responsibly publicly affirm it and share it (distribute it), then you now hold full responsibility for every single case of needless and preventable suffering and death that ever occurs going forward that happens to yourself and/or others, and have earned and deserve the problems you have caused by withholding the knowledge and distribution.
They used to call it the In transit lounge and it was exactly for people changing flights to fly off to different countries. There were at least vending machines. It would have been nice if the people with passports went and collected money and went to buy food for everyone else. But it’s all about me.
WARNING!
“The card is for U.S. citizens who travel by land and sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries.
“The card is not valid for international travel by air and is cheaper than the passport book.”
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html
“The passengers should have stopped the airline crew from leaving airport” I submit this is utterly ridiculous. Any crew staying with passengers would be bombarded by constant questions they can’t answer. I would fear for their safety. Plus, it is possible the pilots would be expected to ferry it out and should get their rest. You are asking for sacrificial lambs.
True that re: Passport Card validity …. semi-useless.
The Bahamas has Immigration laws just like America. Americans need to stop this entitled mindset that everyone has to throw away their laws when it comes to them because they are from the “Great USA”. Everyone knows when going to those territories that there is a possibility that you may have to land in another country. You can’t expect the Bahamas to just let you all leave the airport with no Passport. They have their citizens to protect. Americans commit crimes as well especially over there. I will never forget the Barefoot bandit who stole a plane, landed illegally on a Bahamian Island and broke into peoples homes and robbed them at gun point. Get over yourselves.
Things happen, it is how you handle them that matters. AA does not handle simple problems well, much less bigger problems.
Been stuck in US with AA and they are awful. If they have a plan it is not obvious to anyone including their employees, pilot will say one thing, gate persons exact opposite. Very sad, I avoid AA if at all possible anymore.
They were in a foreign country. All laws that applied are in that country. I guess if they violated civil rights in the Bahamas, they could sue in that country.
They don’t care about employees less they’re gonna care for the passengers.
They already have the money so why bothering
Canada
Travel by air has complications at times that are beyond passengers control. If you don’t like that possible anticipation, take a bus or drive. I’m so fed up with people complaining about everything. AA is no worse than any other airline and you always have a choice.. book with some other airline. For those of us who frequently fly for work it’s part of what could occur. It’s those who fly 2 or maybe 3 times a year that are the whiners. Change carriers and stop always talking about suing. Since flying became affordable to everyone, etiquette has gone out the windows. It’s like a ” bus in the air”.
I think I see a need for some new legislation by Congress to ensure the same passenger rights apply in a situation where a domestic flight lands is diverted to an international airport. Airlines should all be responsible for providing water and at least small snacks. Crazy.
Anyone remembers 9/11? I always travel with my passport, even if I’m going to a neighboring city on vacation.you never know when you may need to get on a plane or other type of transportation to get out of the US.
For those who say plane should have been diverted to a US destination, please remember the plane was diverted for weather conditions. There aren’t any US countries between Puerto Rico and Miami except the US Virgin Islands, which aren’t in the flight path of Miami and Puerto Rico.. There may not have been an US destination that the plane could safely get to because of fuel, air traffic, weather, crew regulations, etc. I agree with Italia “The Bahamas has Immigration laws just like America. Americans need to stop this entitled mindset that everyone has to throw away their laws when it comes to them because they are from the “Great USA”.
I, in no way, am making light of the passengers experience with my next statement, but maybe now they can understand what “illegal” migrants endure.
Jesus Christ the moronic uneducated comments.
Some of you need to stay home.
You don’t need a passport to go to the Bahamas…
In April of 2023, my wife and I were bumped from our American Airlines flight from Sydney to LAX. The reason? We had not been in the terminal for the required 90 minutes prior to our flight. Our flight from Coolangatta Regional Airport was delayed 30 minutes. We were at the gate with 10 minutes left before take off and the American gate staff gave our seats to standby passengers. Much later we were flown in the opposite direction into Melbourne and then to LAX. This fiasco turned a 26 hour trip into a 42 hour misadventure. And because it was an international flight, we had no compensation due us
My husband travels American Airlines every Monday and every Friday home. It is NEVER without some sort of complication on Fridays to get home. We’ve heard every excuse for late planes causing missed connectors continuously, pilots running out of hours? Why is there not a replacement pilot available? Unfortunately you don’t have all the options of choosing other airlines!!!! He has been flying for several years and every single Friday is a disaster for him to get home. There’s never a new flight to book to replace the one missed! He is a Vice President who loves his job but is EXTREMELY STRESSED OUT due to Airlines, especially American Airlines, because he can’t get home on Fridays. NO EXCUSES!
It really doesn’t matter which airline you choose; loyalty is often unrewarded, challenges to good customer service are not addressed, and on board amenities no longer are offered. When a bottle of water is $6.00 and a sandwich worth 3.00 is $15.95 or $18.95 with potato chips, you know it’s probably not going to be a great flight. You wanted the government to mandate lower priced tickets? You got it. Now you’re not happy? Every service has its own price. Buy it if you wish. What does it take to make you happy?
@Italia
No one is saying the Bahamas should have dome anything differently.
Maybe stick to Italian because it is clear you have reading comprehension issues in English you insecure eurotrash.
Nadine, what’s your first language? “There aren’t any us countries between Puerto Rico and Florida”
Do you mean states or territories?
And illegal immigrants get fed and housed here. Quit it.
Food, water and blankets, yeah, that’s kind of on AA and the Bahamas. Medication, that’s 100% on the traveler…