Plane stranded on tarmac for 15 hours in Canada

NEWARK, N.J. (WCBS/CNN) – More than two hundred passengers were stuck at a Canadian airport for 15 hours.

Freezing temperatures made it impossible for them to de-plane after an emergency landing.

Passenger Eithan Magid is frustrated being back at Newark Airport. His original 16 hour United Airlines flight to Hong Kong instead became a 27-hour nightmare which included more than 15 hours stuck on a plane at a small air force base in Canada.

Magid said, “The choice of airport, I think, was very poor. Since the airport was not equipped to handle 240 people.”

United Airlines Flight 777 took off Saturday afternoon but was forced to make an emergency landing at Goose Bay Airport in Newfoundland after a passenger fell ill.

Matt Mcguire was sitting nearby. He said, “When we got to about the Canadian border, a bunch of people were trying to wave over the crew. And they were pointing to him and he was he was having a seizure at that moment.”

A medical team escorted the man off the plane but the flight couldn’t continue on to Hong Kong.

One of the cabin doors was frozen beyond repair, the temperature dipping to 25 below with a wind-chill of negative 65 degrees.

And because the flight arrived at night there were no customs personnel working.

Passengers were forced to spend the night on the plane with heat but only light snacks to eat.

Some families had small children.

Passenger Chris Liew said, “It’s been cold. I’ve been hungry. But you know otherwise it was, well lit…. was all right. I think everybody understood that I know the circumstances that nobody could really control.”

Passengers were told a rescue plane was coming but they say no one could tell them when.

Passenger Alex Forshay said, “Clearly the pilots didn’t really know what was going on. They weren’t being given a clear message either.”

United Airlines says their alternative aircraft arrived at noon Sunday but some passengers who missed meetings or vacations believe the airline had better options.

Magid said, “There are more solutions but it’s just they’re not creative.”

Passenger Liam Keefe said, “End of the day, I got the medical attention he needed so I can’t be upset.”

United Airlines rebooked some passengers and reimbursed others for their inconvenience. Some passengers say that’s not enough and they plan to take action against the airline.

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