Stranded Flight Passengers Sleep at Yakima Airport

127 passengers and 8 crew members slept on the floor in cots at Yakima Air Terminal Saturday night after a diverted flight.

On Saturday, November 7, Alaska Flight 322 was flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to SeaTac Airport when it ran into the massive windstorm that struck the west side last weekend, generating wind gusts up to 46 mph, heavy rain, and visibility of only up to 3 miles. The plane diverted to Yakima Air Terminal to refuel and wait out the weather before flying back to SeaTac, where it was scheduled to land at 9:25 PM.

However, while refueling, it was discovered there was a faulty fuel indicator, and the plane was grounded for the night.127 passengers and 9 crew members were left stranded in Yakima. The airline refused to accommodate the passengers with hotels or food because it labeled the initial diversion as being "weather-related."

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Since the airport and rental car counters were closed, the passengers were expected to sleep in the terminal all night.Worrying the crowd would become an angry mob, Yakima Air Terminal director Christopher Hopkins called for emergency assistance from the City of Yakima and Yakima County.

Tony Miller, the director of the Yakima County Office of Emergency Management, was on the scene in 20 minutes and organized local aid. The American Red Cross arrived with rows of cots, warm blankets, infant formula, and fresh drinking water for the passengers.

Alaska’s sister regional airline, Horizon, organized meals for the passengers and crew. Not until Sunday morning did an Alaska Airlines maintenance team inspect the faulty fuel indicator. The plane did not finally take off until 2:02 PM Sunday afternoon!