Lightning-hit JLA air link stays grounded

Jul 3 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE air link from Liverpool to New York will be stranded in JFK airport at least until tomorrow – nearly a week after the plane was put out of action after being struck by lightning.

Passengers on both sides of the Atlantic have been stuck for days following the incident last Thursday.

Operators Flyglobespan were arranging for passengers to get home on other airlines.

Technical problems aboard its Boeing aircraft require the attention of a specialist engineer who is being flown out from the UK.

Further cancellations followed Saturday’s terrorist attack on Glasgow airport, where Flyglobespan has offices. The flight was scheduled to land at Liverpool John Lennon Airport yesterday morning, but again was cancelled.

Robin Tudor, spokesperson at JLA, said: “We have found out that the fault they have got is with a warning light on the flight deck which isn’t functioning, but is key to the aircraft.

“They are trying to get an engineer out there as they try to solve what is a specialist issue.

“The passengers are now being booked on to alternative flights, if they have not been already, with other carriers.

“The thing is that Flyglobespan’s contingency plan has been compounded by their offices being based in Glasgow airport, which is having huge issues logistically.

“The latest we have heard is that the flight will be rescheduled, but we are not sure of the departure time yet.”

Many disgruntled passengers had made their own arrangements to get back home to Liverpool after spending hours every day waiting for information at JFK.

Yesterday, Flyglobespan apologised to passengers and made the following announcement on its website: “The security incidents at Glasgow and Liverpool airports caused major disruption to our services resulting in the company being forced to suspend its Liverpool /Knock Ireland West to New York services.

“Despite strenuous efforts which have been and continue to be made to have aircraft and crews return to their bases we regret that we will be unable to commence operations until Wednesday, July 4, when we will operate JFK to Knock Ireland West and thereafter as per the programme published on our website.”

vickyanderson