Jfk Airport in New York City is still suffering from the recent effects of winter storm Grayson, caused by the bomb cyclone. Just today, two planes collided, customers are stranded and overcrowded as they wait for flights to resume, and someone tried to smuggle a stolen gun into the airport. As if the chaos from delayed and canceled flights weren't enough to set workers on edge, they have had rare and unusual events to deal with as well.
Two airplanes collide at JFK Airport.
According to NBC Miami, employees at the JFK Airport were working to diminish the backlog of flights when two airplanes collided on the runway, stalling the progress made towards connecting customers with flights.
It seems a China Southern airplane was in the process of being towed down the runway when it struck a plane from Kuwait Airlines. Though the Kuwait Airlines flight was full of passengers, no one was injured.
More issues for @JFKairport. @PortNYNJ confirms 2 passenger jets collided at #jfkairport early Saturday. The wing of a China Southern plane hit the tail of a Kuwait airliner. No one was injured. Photo: @AlexInAir pic.twitter.com/k5wwGXBC52
— AMHQ (@AMHQ) January 6, 2018
In other odd John F. Kennedy Airport news, an American Airlines flight that departed on Friday afternoon was forced to return immediately after takeoff. The New York Post reported the plane, which was headed to Cancun, made an emergency landing due to a fire in the engine.
Stranded passengers sleeping on JFK Airport floors.
Even before the two planes collided, JFK Airport was a madhouse, as people waited for delayed and canceled flights to finally resume. The overcrowding was so extreme that customers were forced to find a few moments of rest on the hard, uncomfortable floors of the airport.
One person attempting to fly out of JFK took to Twitter to warn others of the situation.
If you're flying from JFK make sure you arrive a good few hours before your flight...place is rammed! #jfkairport #jfk pic.twitter.com/lL0sNO7UNC
— Jess Hill (@JessH42) January 6, 2018
Another customer reported flying into JFK and being stranded on the aircraft for several hours, unable to depart.
I have never seen that before! Landed at 10:25pm JFK airport, still in the plane at 3:50am after an 8h flight from Paris. We cannot get out, insane! #AirFrance #jfkairport
— Annakhrystell C (@AnnCocauthrey) January 6, 2018
The Port Authority tried to diffuse the anger of JFK patrons by releasing the following statement.
"A surge in flights at JFK Airport, produced by the rescheduling of delayed flights, combined with the effects of the winter storm, which severely disabled equipment, has resulted in terminal operators and airlines experiencing delays in getting planes and their passengers into their gates."
Man tries to smuggle a stolen firearm into JFK.
A man was caught by airport security attempting to bring a gun on board his flight, the New York Daily News shared today. George Vasquez, 61, was found with a .380 caliber gun hidden within the folds of his coat early Friday morning. In another interesting turn of events, the pistol was stolen over six years ago in Georgia.
What an exhausting day for JFK employees and customers alike.
