Diverted Delta passengers spend the night in remote military barracks in Canada

By Marnie Hunter, CNN
Tue December 12, 2023

Delta Air Lines passenger planes are seen parked in a file photo.

Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters

CNN —

Hundreds of airline passengers bound for Detroit spent Sunday night in a remote Canadian military barracks after their Delta Air Lines jet experienced mechanical issues, the airline said.

Delta Flight 135, carrying 270 customers, three pilots and seven flight attendants from Amsterdam to the US, made the unexpected overnight detour to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador “out of an abundance of caution,” Delta said in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot of the Airbus 330 “reported problems with deicing equipment and diverted to Happy Valley-Goose Bay Airport in Canada around 3:15 p.m. local time.” The FAA said it will investigate.

“Crew duty times were impacted due to weather and runway conditions at the Goose Bay airport causing the airport to suspend operations,” Delta said, and the passengers stayed overnight Sunday in military barracks in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a community of about 8,000 residents in Central Labrador. Goose Bay Airfield is home to military and civilian operations with two major runways.

The airline worked with local officials to provide food and accommodations for passengers, and Delta said it is providing compensation to affected customers but declined to offer specifics.

“Delta sent additional aircraft to Goose Bay to bring customers to their final destination Monday. We apologize to customers for this inconvenience,” the airline said.

CNN has reached out to Goose Bay Airport, which handles an average of 160,000 passengers a year, for additional information.

Delta flight carrying 270 diverted to remote Canadian town

Delta flight 135 from Amsterdam was diverted to Goose Bay Airport on Sunday.

ByClara McMichael
December 12, 2023

A Delta Air Lines flight carrying 270 people was diverted to a remote Canadian town for nearly 24 hours due to a mechanical issue with the plane, according to the airline. The Federal Aviation Administration said there was an issue was with the plane's de-icing equipment.

Delta flight 135 from Amsterdam to Detroit diverted to Goose Bay Airport in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador around 3:15 p.m. on Sunday.

The airport is located in the remote town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, which has a population of around 8,000 people.

According to Delta, crew duty times were impacted due to weather and runway conditions that caused the airport to suspend operations.

The airline sent a rescue aircraft but the crew of that plane timed out. Delta sent another flight to pick up the passengers but that flight was not scheduled to depart Goose Bay until Monday afternoon.

Delta said it worked with officials on the ground to provide food and accommodations for customers. The passengers stayed in military barracks overnight.

"We apologize to customers for this inconvenience as we continue to work to make them comfortable," Delta said.

The FAA said it will investigate.