Narrative:

This is a series of events; not one. Starting off; our area was short staffed -- even for XXXX night. The entire evening shift of XXXX was plagued with thunderstorms and aircraft deviating. ZNY repeatedly threw us in the hold for jfk; ewr; teb; mmu; etc. In ZOB; aircraft were deviating all over the sky; but ZNY said the aircraft were deviating so they rarely took any planes. No WX rtes to new york airports were provided. Aircraft held until fuel exhaustion and then diverted. At least 2 aircraft; which had diverted to pit; took off of pit and held for more than 1 hour; knowing they were going to hold (due to crew expire times).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB CTLR DESCRIBED SHIFT EVENTS INCLUDING WX FACTORS WITH NUMEROUS DIVERSIONS; STAFFING SHORTAGES AND HDOF REFUSALS BY ZNY.

Narrative: THIS IS A SERIES OF EVENTS; NOT ONE. STARTING OFF; OUR AREA WAS SHORT STAFFED -- EVEN FOR XXXX NIGHT. THE ENTIRE EVENING SHIFT OF XXXX WAS PLAGUED WITH TSTMS AND ACFT DEVIATING. ZNY REPEATEDLY THREW US IN THE HOLD FOR JFK; EWR; TEB; MMU; ETC. IN ZOB; ACFT WERE DEVIATING ALL OVER THE SKY; BUT ZNY SAID THE ACFT WERE DEVIATING SO THEY RARELY TOOK ANY PLANES. NO WX RTES TO NEW YORK ARPTS WERE PROVIDED. ACFT HELD UNTIL FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THEN DIVERTED. AT LEAST 2 ACFT; WHICH HAD DIVERTED TO PIT; TOOK OFF OF PIT AND HELD FOR MORE THAN 1 HR; KNOWING THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD (DUE TO CREW EXPIRE TIMES).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.