Delayed flight strands Hawaiian Airlines passengers at JFK for 30 hours

NEW YORK (PIX11) – A delayed flight caused Hawaiian Airlines passengers to be stranded at JFK Airport for more than 30 hours, according to two sources at the airport on Wednesday. 

Jeff White, who identified himself as a flight passenger, told PIX11 News he and hundreds of other passengers have been stuck at John F. Kennedy International Airport for more than 33 hours.

“It’s been a circus,” White said. “There are small children … elderly people, and mothers with newborns who were unable to retrieve their baggage due to this delayed flight.” 

White said he and fellow passengers have been shuffled between gate 18B and A9. He also claimed the only compensation they received was a $12 food voucher. 

White said the airline would not give passengers their luggage back so they could get on the next flight to Hawaii and would not exchange the tickets for another company.

White said they were told the cause of the delay was a problem with the aircraft involving toxic air flowing through the vents. 

A representative from Hawaiian Airlines told PIX11 News they had received our requests for comment and were working on collecting information about the flight. 

A spokesperson with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told PIX11 individual airlines are responsible for baggage repatriation. The spokesperson also said they were checking with JFK operators for additional information on the flight delay.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.