TOWN OF HOUNSFIELD, New York (WWNY) – Flights into Watertown International Airport are being diverted to Syracuse when it rains, and passengers are being bused back to the airport.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s due to ongoing construction on the airport\u2019s main runway.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the longest runway, the one commercial jets typically use coming in and out of our facility,\u201d said Jefferson County Administrator Ryan Piche.<\/p>\n
When weather conditions make the airport\u2019s shorter runway unsuitable for landing, flights are diverted to Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Passengers disembark with their luggage, making the plane lighter for its flight to Watertown.<\/p>\n
American Airlines then buses passengers back to Watertown.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the runway is not in a condition where pilots and American Airlines feel it\u2019s the best decision to use the shorter runway, they\u2019re going to divert to Syracuse to use the longer runway,\u201d Piche said.<\/p>\n
Passenger complaints<\/p>\n
The situation is causing delays and frustration among passengers.<\/p>\n
One passenger said she wished she had been notified about the construction sooner so she could have made other arrangements or flown out of Syracuse instead.<\/p>\n
A Yelp review posted in early May expressed similar frustrations. \u201cTried to fly in and was told runway is still too short. Had to fly to Syracuse and take a bus to Watertown,\u201d the passenger wrote.<\/p>\n
Outbound flights from Watertown are also being delayed while waiting for planes diverted to Syracuse to arrive.<\/p>\n
Assemblyman Scott Gray posted on Facebook that he nearly missed his connecting flight to France over the weekend. He went from having an hours-long layover in Philadelphia to nearly missing his flight due to the delay.<\/p>\n
Project timeline extended<\/p>\n
County lawmakers said the runway rehabilitation was originally scheduled to last only a few weeks, but complications have extended the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs legislators, we are concerned about some of the delays and inconveniences that are happening,\u201d said Jim Nabywaniec, District 8 legislator. \u201cMany of the legislators are business people themselves, running their own businesses, so very sensitive to the customer service issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
American Airlines pays to bus passengers back to Watertown. Construction is expected to end in mid-July.<\/p>\n
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