News10NBC investigates: Rochester-bound Spirit Airlines passengers face longer wait than flight itself

ROCHESTER, NY – Dozens of passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight from Florida to Rochester experienced a travel nightmare early Monday morning, with some spending more time waiting on the plane and at the airport than the flight itself.

Michael Lebbon, a passenger on the Spirit flight, shared his experience with News10NBC.

Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “How were you much earlier this morning?”

Michael Lebbon, a passenger on the Spirit flight: “It was something terrible.”

Lebbon was returning from a family vacation in Columbia. Their Spirit flight on Sunday was delayed leaving Fort Lauderdale, but eventually landed in Rochester at 12:45 Monday. However, the jetway bridge would not work and they needed a truck to push the plane to another gate, leaving passengers stuck in the plane for an hour and a half.

“As time began to pass, we heard other customers scoff, ‘What’s the backup plan?’ ‘Why don’t we go? ‘Why can’t we just use the emergency exits?’” Lebbon said.

The problems did not end there. It took another 90 minutes for the passengers to get their luggage. Sharing photos he took while waiting, Lebbon says he finally walked out of the airport at 4 in the morning

Berkeley Brian: “So the flight itself lasted about two and a half hours. But it would take more than three hours that you would wait at the Rochester airport?

Michael Lebbon: “That is correct.”

“We had asked the stewardess what happened and why it took so long. And they said if we knew the answers we would have given them to you,” Lebbon said. “But we kind of had to fight through this ordeal on our own.”

Spirit Airlines issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience and explaining that the delay was due to problems with the airport’s jet bridge and baggage system. They provided snacks, water and a future travel voucher to affected passengers.

Monroe County, which operates the airport, said it found no system or mechanical failures after testing the jet bridge and baggage conveyors. They are working with Spirit to determine what disruption occurred in the operation of both functions.

Federal rules state that passengers must be allowed to leave a plane if it has been parked for three hours, and the airline must provide food and water within two hours.

“The main issue for me and my wife was having a plan,” Lebbon said. “We felt like, no pun intended, they were kind of flying it at the moment.”

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