Several hundred Delta Air Lines passengers are back on U.S. soil after a long, difficult journey from Amsterdam to Detroit following an emergency landing in Canada that caused a 24-hour delay.
"I don’t know what day it is anymore," passenger Tony Santoro of Troy, Michigan, said to FOX 2 after returning home. He had been studying abroad for four months.
The airline said the diversion to Goose Bay, Newfoundland, on Sunday was due to a "mechanical issue" on board the plane.
Another passenger said the plane took a "sharp turn" during the flight, and the pilot said they had to land because of a problem with the de-icer for one of the engines.
Delta Flight 135 landed at Goose Bay Airport. The Canadian airport was established during WWII and "continues to be used during various military operations," its website says. It has two "major runways" and can reportedly accommodate "the largest aircrafts in the world."
"They put us in some military barracks," Santoro said. "It honestly felt like a hotel. It wasn’t too bad. We had soap, water, everything."
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"Crew duty times were impacted due to weather and runway conditions at the Goose Bay airport causing the airport to suspend operations," Delta said in a statement. "Delta sent additional aircraft to Goose Bay to bring customers to their final destination Monday. We apologize to customers for this inconvenience."
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Some of the 270 people reported to have been on board said they are still having difficulties retrieving their checked bags, which were believed to have been mistakenly placed on a different flight.
A Delta spokesperson told FOX Business that the airline had worked with officials in Goose Bay to make sure people had food, water and lodging Sunday night. Delta will compensate the passengers, the spokesperson said, declining to provide specifics regarding what that would be.
