PASSENGERS on Delta flight 0028, scheduled to leave Kingston for Atlanta at 9:00 yesterday morning, were furious when the flight was cancelled after they arrived at the Norman Manley Airport in Kingston, some from rural areas.

Several of the 155 passengers who were comfortably seated up to departure time, before being told they would have to deplane, did not mince words in expressing their disgust with the US-based airline.“These idiots should know that they must check the aircraft before they put people on board,” said an irate passenger who was to catch another flight in Atlanta for an onward destination.An apologetic Delta representative, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to discuss the matter, said moments before take-off, the plane’s computer triggered a smoke detector in the baggage hold. Attempts to fix the problem were futile and the decision was taken to deplane the passengers.But vociferous passengers said no one from the airline could say what would happen and they were left in the dark for long periods.Eventually, some passengers were offered a limited opportunity to be taken to Montego Bay by road to catch a later Delta fight to the Georgia capital. Priority was given to passengers who were connecting to other flights.Eventually, ground crew said spare parts would be brought in from Atlanta or another aircraft would be sent for the passengers late evening. Near midday it was announced that the flight was cancelled altogether and would leave at 8:00 this morning.Frazzled staff worked hard to bring calm to the situation. But passengers again became disgruntled when they were kept at the airport until near 2:00 pm at which time they were taken to the Jamaica Pegasus hotel for meals and overnight stay. During that time wheelchair bound passengers were kept for long periods in a holding area because there were not enough attendants.“Flights are cancelled all the time, but the problem here is that no information was forthcoming and people were left to wonder what would become of them. That drove up the temperature in the place,” said a female passenger who noted that she had to attend work and the cancellation was more than a bother.A customer service representative from Delta’s Atlanta hub again apologised for the inconvenience and said passengers would be offered US$100 as compensation, whereupon other passengers said that would not be enough.