Crazy Delays-Phoenix to BVIs

The Gladiator’s resolve was tested to the max with maintenance and weather delays totaling 30 hours. First, a 6 hour delay maintenance delay in Phoenix (11pm flight pushed to 5:00am). The airlines put us up for the night in a hotel (no luggage though). We dealt with it. Then in the early morning onward to Miami where we were cut it close making a connecting flight to Tortola. We had to do an OJ run through the airport where my dad was keeping the gate attendant’s occupied so we could make the final boarding call.

We reached the BVI’s (in the air) but the Captain announced we couldn’t land because the “runway was too wet and we had low fuel” and the plane would need to divert to Puerto Rico to refuel. I was under the assumption that we would refuel in San Juan and get back in the air to reach Beef Island (BVI) airport that same night. The bad luck would continue though as we were instructed the plane would be returning back to Miami where we would take another shot at reaching Tortola in the morning.

We can’t land the plane because the runway is wet and we are low on fuel

AA Pilot (Miami to BVIs)

We learned that Tortola has hit with a storm that brought record rainfall (2″-3″) in a 24 hour period and caused havoc throughout the island: land slides, road blockages, erosions, structure collapses and a flooded airport runway. I guess the pilot was technically correct when he stated a “wet runway”. After we finally touched down we could see some of the damage ourselves. We were relieved to be on the island and we would learn more about the cleanup that followed during our trip from some local islanders.

This was the worst rain the island has had in decades!

-Shorty (Cab Driver)

Our travel fiasco was definitely one for the books. We were wiped out from all the running around and lack of sleep. On the bright side, we talked about how my dad, who was traveling alone from New York, might not have made his connection in Miami to the BVIs without us being stranded together. So it was a good thing that we all road out the storm and arrived together to start our vacation. My Dad put it in perspective. … “a rough start, means a smooth ending”.

Day 1 Travel : Phoenix -> Miami -> Tortola -> San Juan -> Miami -> Tortola

5,048 Miles (30 hours). We could have made it to Antarctica in that time.