What Happened Aboard JetBlue Flight 504?
Cockpit to tower tapes suggest a dangerous situation
11/01/2011 | By Mark Huffman
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ConsumerAffairs.com
| Travel
When JetBlue Flight 504, bound from Fort Lauderdale to the New York area, was diverted to Hartford, Conn. by the weekend snowstorm, the plane sat on the tarmac at Bradley International Airport for more than seven hours before passengers reached the terminal.
While federal aviation authorities will investigate to see if the airline violated new rules designed to prevent these strandings, there may also be an inquiry to determine what exactly was happening on board the jet, and whether passengers were in danger.
Recordings of radio transmissions between the pilot of Flight 504 and the tower suggest a grim and possibly dangerous situation.
Pilot: If you try to come on with a jetway now and flash a trooper's uniform on the plane, it's not going to be good, it's not going to be pretty. They've (the passengers) calmed down a little bit, I told them we're waiting for a tug and a tow-bar and it's only a matter of seconds, so DO NOT BRING ANYONE ON BOARD THIS PLANE! So don't even put the airstairs up there.
Tower: OK, roger that.
Moments later it was apparent the situation had changed and the pilot had changed his mind.
Pilot: I've got a problem here on the airplane. I'm gonna need to have cops on board. There's some cops sitting right in front of you. I need some airstairs brought over here and cops brought on board the airplane.
Tower: JetBlue 504, roger.
At one point in the recording, the captain reports the situation has calmed a bit but that he is concerned about the passengers, especially one who is wheelchair bound and another who is diabetic.
He recounted for the tower the timeline of his flight, noting his plane had been in the air for three hours and on the ground at the airport for over seven and a half hours. He then thanked the tower crew for their help.
Pilot: Listen, I just want to put my two cents in, for whatever it's worth, thank you very much...because I think we got more help from you guys than our own people.
Tower: JetBlue 504, you're welcome, it's our pleasure.
