Rainy Weather Forces Travelers To Spend Night In Airport
July 24, 2008
Rough weather cancelled many flights and forced many travelers to spend Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in local airports. NY1’s Roger Clarke filed the following report.
When traveler Elisa Lynch was forced to stay Tuesday night in the waiting area of the La Guardia Airport in Queens, she did not get much rest.
"We were supposed to fly out last night headed to Raleigh, North Carolina at 745, and the flight was delayed, delayed, delayed, and then ultimately cancelled," said Lynch.
Lynch was not alone. Hundreds of people were stuck at LaGuardia after their flights were cancelled because of the nasty weather.
For many, that meant sleeping on the airport floor.
“They accommodated us with blankets at around 2:30 in the morning, which was very nice of them,” said a traveler. “We basically slept on the floor with probably 500 other people."
Some were lucky enough to grab a seat, but it did not make things that much better.
"It was just really hard to sleep, I don't think we got maybe like two hours combined the whole night and it was freezing cold," said another traveler.
Ellie Debow and her two kids, Wyatt and Rachel, were also stranded.
"Not so good, because I had to sleep on the hard ground," said Wyatt Debow.
"Very uncomfortable, the ground it was hard, rock hard," said Rachel Debow.
Cancellations and delays continued in the morning, leading to extra long lines.
"My flight got cancelled, 6:30 to Atlanta, and now I'm just trying to get on the next flight possible, it's crazy," said traveler Todd Parker.
Some travelers thought there had to be a better way.
"I know the weather, you can't do anything about the weather, but I don't know what they can do different. It's frustrating," said another traveler.
"The airlines are pretty much in control now, and they can tell us whatever they want to tell us,” said another. “It's out of our hands. There's nothing we can do about it, we're at their mercy."
One woman who spent the night here said the travelers had to be extra-resourceful, at one point taking turns using bathroom hand dryers to warm up.
- Roger Clark
July 24, 2008
Rainy Weather Forces Travelers To Spend Night In Airport
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