JetBlue A320 Circles Aguadilla After Disabled MQ-9 Blocks Landing
A JetBlue flight from New York to Puerto Rico’s west coast was forced into a brief holding pattern on January 1 after the crew was reportedly told the runway at Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN), Aguadilla was unavailable due to a disabled MQ-9 Reaper that needed to be recovered.
20 minutes in the hold over Bahía de Aguadilla
JetBlue Flight B6 2839 departed New York JFK late on Thursday night and flew south normally until nearing Aguadilla, when it entered a holding pattern for around 20 minutes over the Bahía de Aguadilla area.
Social media reports attributed the delay to a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper allegedly sitting disabled on the runway, temporarily preventing arriving traffic from landing.
After the runway reopened, the JetBlue Airbus A320 continued in and landed without further issue, and passengers disembarked normally.
Flight timeline and aircraft details
The flight operated with Airbus A320 N794JB and touched down at BQN at 03:41 (local time, as reported). The aircraft later turned back to New York on B6 2838, departing around 06:01 and arriving back at JFK at 08:55.
Why a disabled military drone can disrupt a civilian arrival
Even a single disabled aircraft—manned or unmanned—can effectively close a runway until airport and operating agencies confirm it’s safe to resume operations. That can mean towing, equipment recovery, inspections for debris, and coordination across airport operations and emergency services.
About Aguadilla’s Rafael Hernández Airport
BQN is one of Puerto Rico’s key airports and serves the island’s northwestern region. It’s known for having an exceptionally long runway (often cited as among the longest in the Caribbean), and it supports both commercial passenger service and significant cargo activity, alongside U.S. government operations including customs and coast-related agencies.
What is the MQ-9 Reaper?
The MQ-9 Reaper is a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft used primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and it can also be configured to carry weapons for precision strike missions. It is operated by the U.S. Air Force and other allied air arms, with crews controlling flights from ground stations using satellite links and onboard sensors.
