In the midst of a sweeping winter storm that has gripped the nation, Houston’s airports find themselves at the epicenter of travel chaos. Hundreds of flights have been canceled and delayed, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.
As of 3 p.m. Monday, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport has experienced a staggering 348 flight cancellations and 346 delays. The situation is not much better at William P. Hobby Airport, where 46 flights have been canceled and 107 flights delayed. The widespread disruptions have left both airports grappling with the aftermath of severe weather conditions.
KPRC 2 Reporter Rilwan Balogun braved the chaos to report directly from Bush Intercontinental Airport, capturing the scenes of frustration faced by travelers.
One of the major players in the aviation scene, United Airlines, took a precautionary measure by grounding flights for a few hours due to the adverse weather conditions. This added to the already substantial number of disrupted flights, causing a ripple effect that further impacted travelers.
In an interview with KPRC 2, Kiana Cowley, a stranded traveler, expressed her frustration, saying, “I’m agitated. I’m stressed out and I just want to go home.”
Kiana and her companion, Shayla Shapp, missed their flight due to unexpected traffic caused by a wreck, highlighting the ripple effects of the extreme weather on ground transportation.
“We expected it to be cold. We just didn’t expect it to be icy or dangerous to drive in,” Kiana added, emphasizing the unforeseen challenges faced by travelers.
As the weather-related traffic back-up continues, some passengers are considering alternative plans, like renting cars to reach their destinations. The unexpected delays have also led to unintended extensions of stays for those visiting for specific events, like Rashawna Bell and her friends’ reunion.
Rashawna and her friends, visiting from Pittsburgh for a reunion, found themselves contemplating alternative travel arrangements.
“They pushed it back by two hours and now they’re saying overnight. So, we’re thinking about just getting a rental car and then driving once we make it to Chicago,” Rashawna explained.
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Sam Olivares
5 hours stuck at the airport (ATL) trying to get to Houston.😡