Flying on Shabbat Unplanned
Question
Suppose one boards a plane expecting it to land in plenty of time for Shabbat. But the flight gets severely delayed and is in the air when Shabbat begins. What is one supposed to do then about being on the plane during Shabbat, and about the fact they will legally be required to exit the plane as soon as it lands, possibly go through customs (which might involve writing), and exit the airport and use ground transportation as soon as they obtain their luggage?
Answers
Perhaps the first lesson is to understand that travelling on Erev Shabbat is something that needs to be planned properly. It is forbidden to begin a journey on Erev Shabbat if there is a chance that it might be delayed and cause Shabbat desecration.
What must one do if they find themselves in such a situation? First, the can disembark the plane, as there is no other alternative. Second, it is only permissible to leave the airport if the airport is within the Techum of the city that it is servicing. If that is not the case, it is forbidden to leave the airport until after Shabbat. That would entail remaining within the airport (probably within the airport building itself as the doors to go in and out are almost bound to be automatic) and only leaving once it is clear that Shabbat is over.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team