Flight Cancelled En-Route

Charleston International Airport is having some major repair work done on its 7000 foot runway, which last received major repairs forty years ago. The airport will be closed from 12AM to 6AM till August 9th. The work has been going on since June 9th, and the airlines were well aware of it.

That was the case when US Airways Flight 3203, operated by Republic Airlines, turned around en route to Charleston and returned to Charlotte because it was past midnight. The plane left the gate in Charlotte at 10:30, scheduled to arrive at 11:25, however weather delayed its departure till 11:43PM. Only fifty miles from Charleston, the plane turned around and returned to Charlotte, arriving at 12:40AM.

At this point, the sixty-six passengers received vouchers for a hotel discount(Note: not a hotel…a hotel discount) and new tickets to fly out the next day. We understand that in weather situations, airlines are not responsible, but it would have been good public relations to put these people up.

A representative for Republic claims they thought they would make it in time and that the tower at the airport might remain open a little later. Personally, we wonder why they couldn’t call Charleston and advise them of the situation and get them to agree to stay open or not till the plane landed…or if they tried this. Airports do have phones, after all, and obviously they have radios.

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