January 6, 2025
One passenger compared the treatment to animals after they were forced out the Turks and Caicos airport.
Passengers traveling on JetBlue from Turks and Caicos claim the airline treated them inhumanely after their significantly delayed flight.
Travelers headed for Boston did not receive accommodations from the airline after the flight’s 24-hour delay. Although an unexpected inconvenience, what occurred next left many horrified by their treatment.
Given the circumstances, most assumed they could pass the time at the airport. Others thought they would receive hotel vouchers from the airline, as is often customary in the U.S. Instead, they were left with no options. The airport warned they would be kicked out, and no hotel options were reportedly available for that evening.
One passenger, Marty, told Boston 25 News that the airline allowed airport personnel to “put people out on the streets.” He compared the ordeal to being treated “like animals,” with his children also in tow.
“To put people out on the streets like animals was something I will never forget for the rest of my life,” explained the frustrated dad. “Just very unsettling, traumatizing experience you have three young kids all looking to you for an answer, a wife looking at you for an answer, for the first time as a husband and as a father and as a man, I had no idea how I was going to shelter my family for a night.”
The passengers had to quickly find lodging for the night or risk sleeping with the fish. Fortunately for Marty, his travel agent found a small hotel room so his family could stay safe. Another passenger, Brett, booked an Airbnb in a questionable area. Furthermore, he had to fork over a thousand dollars to fit his large party of 10.
“It was in a horrible, sketchy area. The actual Airbnb itself was OK, but the area was like something out of a horror movie,” shared the other traveler. “… Wild dogs were chasing the cab as we were driving by like very sketchy neighborhood, and kids are freaking out like ‘What are we gonna do?’”
Airport staff eventually allowed travelers with less agency and funding to stay, placing cots on the floor. Unfortunately, the problems continued for everyone on that delayed flight. Those who remained through the night faced another four-hour delay.
In response, JetBlue explained that Air Traffic Control congestion caused the intense delay. Although they apologized, they emphasized that the circumstances were outside their control. Regardless, they encouraged customers to seek reimbursement and offered a $200 travel credit for their troubles.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this delay caused and understand this was a frustrating situation,” shared the airline. “While the delay was created by circumstances beyond JetBlue’s control, we understand the impact this disruption had on our customers’ plans. Given that, we’ve provided instructions for affected customers to submit reimbursement requests for eligible out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Customer Service Plan. Additionally, as a goodwill gesture, we’ve issued $200 in travel credit for future JetBlue flights.”
However, Marty and others do not readily accept the apology. The man stated that better procedures must occur before forcing travelers “to the streets.”
“This was far beyond a delay; this was sending people to the streets in the wee hours of the night and asking them to fend for themselves with no solutions.”
However, the Department of Transportation’s newly established Automatic Refund Rule states that passengers do not have to get a refund if they accept the new flight despite cancellations or significant delays. Despite this, those who refused the new booking are entitled to an automatic airline refund.