Thousands stranded in US by hurricane Irene
29.08.11
Thousands of British holidaymakers and business passengers have been stranded in the US by hurricane Irene, which battered the eastern seaboard. Most will face further chaos, and days of delays before they can get home-bound flights as operators struggle to find spaces on flights during what is traditionally a busy holiday period.
The devastating weather system, which has brought fierce winds and rain, has now been downgraded to a tropical storm. But passengers could face further travel delays, with the risk of flood waters making more cancellations possible. The New York Port Authority said air travel would not restart until Monday afternoon at the earliest.
A BA spokesman told the BBC News website: 'We are speaking to the authorities in the US to find out exactly if there's any damage to these airports and whether we can operate. We will try to have as many flights as we can today but we are still waiting to hear what we can and can't operate.’
Virgin Atlantic said it was possible that New York flights could resume on Monday, and warned those waiting to travel home from the US that they may have to wait three or four days. US airlines United and Continental said they were assessing the impact of Hurricane Irene at their New York airports and support facilities.
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said between 5,000 and 10,000 British holidaymakers were likely to be in New York at the moment. According to the organisation, the city is the single most popular long-haul destination in the world among British holidaymakers.
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