Some passengers were stranded at Sanya Phoenix Airport
At around 3 a.m. on September 3, 27 passengers on the BK2832A flight of Okay Airways were "refused to board." In front of the plane on the tarmac at Sanya Phoenix Airport, the passengers helplessly watched as their luggage was removed from the plane, and then the plane took off and left Sanya...
The flight was delayed twice, stranding nearly a hundred passengers.
According to Mr. Gu, one of the passengers, they were on the BK2832A flight of Okay Airways, traveling from Sanya to Tianjin (with a stopover in Zhuhai). The scheduled departure time for this flight was 9:20 p.m. on September 2. However, when the passengers were about to check in, they were informed that due to a change in Okay Airways' plans, the flight would be postponed to 1 a.m. on September 3, and they were asked to wait patiently.
Around 11 p.m., the passengers of this flight were taken to a hotel near the airport to rest. According to Mr. Gu, around 1:30 a.m. on September 3, they were brought back to the boarding area at the airport but were told that the flight would be delayed until around 2:30 a.m..
The plane "refused" to carry 27 passengers and left them behind.
Around 2 a.m., the airport authorities notified the passengers to check in. While more than 70 passengers completed the boarding procedures, 27 other passengers refused to board, stating that the delay was too long and they needed an explanation from the airline. Representatives of the passengers negotiated with relevant staff of Okay Airways over the phone, but no progress was made. Around 3:30 a.m., these passengers decided to board after being persuaded by the airport staff.
After completing the boarding procedures, these passengers boarded the airport shuttle bus to the tarmac to prepare for boarding (the plane was parked on the runway). However, upon reaching the plane, the crew refused to open the cabin door for the passengers. Negotiations between the airport staff and the crew also failed. Eventually, the luggage of these passengers was removed, and the plane departed from Sanya in front of the eyes of these 27 passengers.
"We have seen taxis refuse passengers and buses refuse passengers, but it's the first time we've seen a plane 'refuse' passengers!" said the passengers who were unable to board.
27 passengers were rebooked onto the 4th evening flight to leave the port.
From 1:30 a.m. to around 10 a.m. on the 3rd, the 27 passengers were stranded at the airport for nearly 9 hours.
Around 10 a.m. on the 3rd, the staff of the Ground Service Department of Sanya Phoenix Airport explained the situation to the reporters. According to the staff, the flight was delayed twice yesterday due to the airline's plan changes. The flight arrived at Sanya at 1:45 a.m., and the airport notified the passengers to board at 2:08 a.m. "Throughout the process, we kept comforting the passengers and asking them to board on time. At 2:55 a.m., the captain issued the last boarding notice. At 3:32 a.m., when the 27 passengers reached the plane, the cabin door had already been closed, and the plane finally took off at 3:38 a.m." The staff stated, "After the passengers returned to the terminal building, the airline called to request that the passengers be rebooked onto the 2832 flight departing at 9:20 p.m. on the 4th."
Okay Airways did not respond directly to the "refusal to carry" issue.
Mr. Meng, a staff member of Okay Airways' Sanya branch, said that the headquarters has instructed them to properly arrange accommodations for the passengers and handle the rebooking procedures. Regarding the issues where passengers, after boarding the airport shuttle bus to the tarmac, were not allowed to board the plane, the staff did not provide a direct response. Currently, the stranded passengers have completed the rebooking procedures and are planning to fly out of Sanya on the evening of the 4th. International Tourism Island Business News