Dozens of passengers aboard an Avelo Airlines flight bound for New Haven got diverted to Bradley Airport.
The question is - did people on the plane get assistance to get back to New Haven?
We recently brought you an in-depth report on customer complaints about Avelo’s communication when planes are diverted.
The diversion happened around 1:30 in the afternoon. Avelo said its crew on Flight 346 out of West Palm Beach, Florida, noticed a potential hydraulic issue and made the diversion out of an abundance of caution.
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Passengers can’t fault Avelo Airlines for a safety diversion to Bradley Airport instead of its scheduled destination of Tweed Airport in New Haven.
Passenger John Costanzo told us, “…mechanical things happen."
The question is what they were told once the plane landed safely.
“They did not. I’m afraid they did not. They did not give us any direction," passenger Anne Cofone said.
NBC Connecticut Investigates and Responds have reported in the past how passengers diverted to Bradley, and then they were often left to fend for themselves to find a way back to New Haven, their original destination 56 miles from Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks.
Passenger Mable Marson told us, “I live in Milford. So with that said, I had to call my husband.”
This time around, again, no one from Avelo was on the ground at Bradley to assist the airline’s passengers.
Some passengers we spoke with said there was little communication about how they were to get home and if they would be compensated.
However, while we learned the flight back to Tweed was canceled so crews could inspect the plane, customers will be reimbursed by Avelo for their transportation home or to their final destinations.
“It’s very convenient for me. We live 15 to 20 minutes from New Haven, easy in and out. But you start to question whether it’s worth the money you save," Costanzo said.
Avelo also told us the Boeing 737-800 operating this flight has redundant hydraulic systems, so safety was never an issue.
