United passengers stuck up to seven hours

United Airlines passengers said multiple flights at Newark Liberty International Airport sat on the tarmac for hours on Wednesday, May 21, before some were canceled, as storms disrupted traffic across the New York region. NBC New York reported that some travelers said they remained onboard for nearly seven hours. United said severe weather in the Northeast caused the disruptions. The episode landed just ahead of the Memorial Day travel rush, when Newark is already handling heavier passenger volumes. ### Which flights were caught in the delays? Wednesday evening departures from Newark were among the flights affected, according to passenger accounts reported by NBC New York. The station said multiple United passengers described boarding in the afternoon or early evening and then remaining on aircraft for hours before cancellations were announced. Alan Tuerkheimer, a passenger headed to Chicago, told NBC New York that he boarded at 5:40 p.m. and then “ended up sitting on the tarmac for seven hours.” NBC Chicago, in a follow-up report, said his aircraft was parked on a non-active runway before the flight was ultimately canceled. ### What did passengers say happened onboard? (nbcnewyork.com) NBC New York reported that passengers described confusion over the lack of clear updates during the delay. Tuerkheimer told the station, “It was very confusing,” adding that travelers were left wondering what they were being told and what was actually happening. Another passenger told NBC New York that tensions could have escalated during the wait, though people remained calm. (nbcnewyork.com) After his cancellation, Tuerkheimer said he took an Uber to Newark Penn Station around 2 a.m., then boarded an Amtrak train to Philadelphia and found another flight to Chicago. He said the detour cost him thousands of dollars and that United provided a $15 food voucher. ### What did United blame for the disruption? United Airlines blamed severe weather in the Northeast, according to NBC New York. Other regional reports also tied the broader airport disruption on May 21 to thunderstorms affecting the New York area and the wider East Coast system. NorthJersey.com reported that Newark had 172 delays and 61 cancellations as of 4 p.m. on May 21, citing FlightAware data, showing the disruption extended beyond a single carrier. (nbcnewyork.com) A separate travel-industry report cited in the source briefing counted six cancellations and 81 delays at Newark that day involving airlines including United, AeroMéxico, Lufthansa and Icelandair. ### How do federal tarmac-delay rules work? The U.S. Department of Transportation says airlines must begin moving a departing aircraft to a place where passengers can safely get off before three hours on domestic flights and four hours on international flights. The same time limits apply to arriving flights at U.S. airports. The Transportation Department says exceptions are allowed for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons. (northjersey.com) The agency also says airlines must provide snacks and drinking water no later than two hours after a tarmac delay begins. ### Where can travelers check the next update? Newark Liberty’s official airport site says travelers can check real-time arrivals and departures, including delays, cancellations and gate changes, on its flight-information page. (transportation.gov) United directs passengers to its travel-alerts page for current waiver and rebooking options when airport disruptions affect service. Saturday, May 23, is the next key checkpoint for travelers heading through Newark over the holiday weekend. (transportation.gov) The FAA’s National Airspace System dashboard and Newark airport advisories page were both active on Saturday with current status information for airport operations. (nasstatus.faa.gov) (newarkairport.com)