As the pilot announced for the second time that the plane would be heading back to the gate for more fuel, disappointed grumbles filled the silent cabin. 

What was supposed to be a four-hour flight turned into an eight-hour trip when Kinkaid students and staff were returning home from the Model United Nations conference in New York City in mid-January.

The flight, which was supposed to take off at 7:15 p.m. from Newark Airport, had already been pushed back due to the failure of the crew to arrive because they had been reassigned to another flight. At 8:15,  boarding finally began. 

Once all passengers were in their seats, the plane departed from the gate, but it returned shortly afterward because a sick passenger was on the flight. 

There was another instance of a man yelling about his disappointment with the situation. He discussed his interest to leave the flight with the flight attendant.  

“The man was yelling and talking about his court date on Tuesday,” sophomore Shaan Dhutia said. 

The plane was waiting at the gate for the sick passenger to get off, then the pilot announced that the plane would need more fuel. 

After waiting for a plethora of issues to be solved, including paperwork that needed to be filed and the need to recalculate the weight balance of the plane, the plane finally departed. 

“We have been delayed on the way here and back, I just wanted to get home,” sophomore Kate Hyman said. 

This was not the first time the Model UN trip was delayed. On the way to Newark airport, the plane did not take off as scheduled. 

“I personally did not find the flight back too bad because I was surrounded by friends. We were joking about the whole situation because it was pretty funny,” sophomore Alexander Miles said.