Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Family members assist Phillip Reid (centre) with his luggage back to the car park at the Norman Manley International Airport after he was unable to get on a flight to New York. Mr. Reid was scheduled to leave the island on Sunday, but was forced to extend his holiday due to the passage of Hurricane Dean. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

There were chaotic scenes at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston yesterday as hundreds of passengers who were stranded on the island as a result of Hurricane Dean tried to get on a flight to their respective destinations.

As early as 5:00 a.m. anxious persons were parked near the entrance of the airport, waiting for the barriers to be removed to enter the facility, where construction work is under way.

Phillip Reid was scheduled to return home to New York on Sunday, but was forced to extend his two-week vacation.

Told to return home

He left home in Manchester at 3:00 a.m. yesterday to get to the airport and secure a seat on the flight but was not lucky. He said he was told to return home and the airline would contact him when a flight is available to take him back to New York.

"I am supposed to be at work and I am here loafing and don't know my left hand from my left foot," an obviously upset Mr. Reid told The Gleaner yesterday.

Meanwhile, Betty Smith said she was trying to contact the airline by telephone but was unable to get through so she went to the airport for her 9:30 a.m. flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida as scheduled.

The Gleaner caught up with her after she exited the check-in lounge.

"When I got here they said the flights were running as scheduled and now I am being told that the flight is cancelled and I have to re-book," Ms. Smith said.

"It is really frustrating and I think that everybody could endorse that."

Ms. Smith added: "This is affecting me because I can't go back to my work and my family is over there waiting on me."

She said she was left with n but to get her son in Florida to rebook a flight.

When The Gleaner visited the arrival section of the airport yesterday about 11:00 a.m., the regular sight of persons coming out pulling their luggage was non-existent.

Charlotte Campbell paid $10,000 to charter a taxi from Porus, Manchester, to pick up her sister who was to arrive on the island at 10:00 a.m. However, she told The Gleaner that she was uncertain if her sister was going to arrive and information from the airport was not forthcoming.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com