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China airline passengers stuck in LA for 2 days

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-03 09:04

LOS ANGELES -- A China Eastern Airlines flight to Shanghai was scheduled to leave Los Angeles on Tuesday after being delayed nearly three days and stranding 279 passengers.

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Johnny Qian, manager of the airline's local office, said the original flight Sunday afternoon was canceled because a light indicated a nose landing gear problem.

Passengers told the Los Angeles Times they were on the plane for hours before the flight was canceled. They reboarded Monday but were told to get off after the plane sat on the tarmac for an hour.

Some say they became angry and staged a sit-in. Airport police Sgt. Jim Holcomb says no one was arrested.

The airline flew in the part from Shanghai. Qian expected the aircraft to be ready for takeoff around 9 p.m.