JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Travelers at Jacksonville International Airport were met with a sea of red and yellow on departure boards this Sunday, as a relentless winter storm system triggered a wave of cancellations and delays across the country.
For many, the airport has become a temporary home. Byron Bell, who is attempting to return to Dallas, Texas, spent the night at the airport after a grueling week of travel mishaps. Bell’s journey began when his work truck broke down in Knoxville, Tennessee. Seeking a quick route home, he booked a flight days ago, unaware that a snowstorm would paralyze air traffic.
“I’m over it, I’m straight over it,” Bell said, noting that his intended two-hour flight has stretched into an over-24-hour ordeal. “I was trying to go west, not east. I’m further away from home now.” Despite the frustration, Bell managed to keep his spirits high, jokingly asking locals for dinner while he waited for his rebooked flight.
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Bell is far from alone. The terminal is filled with passengers navigating the “flyer’s nightmare” of missed connections and rebookings.
Ruby, a traveler bound for Osaka, Japan, found herself stuck in Jacksonville after her initial leg was delayed. “My connecting flight, obviously, I’m not going to make it. So yeah, they had to rebook me for tomorrow,” she said.
The disruptions have also impacted business travelers like Johny Batishchev, who was headed to Cleveland, Ohio. “My flight was rescheduled, so I’ve got to go back home and then come back at a later time, which kind of sucks,” Batishchev said.
“I am going for work. really hoping I do get to where I need to be today,” he said.
While the majority faced hurdles, a few lucky passengers arrived on schedule. Matthew Trunk, returning from Argentina, expressed sympathy for those still trapped in the terminal.
“My heart goes out to them because I’ve been there,” Trunk said. “Hopefully, everyone can get things under control, and they can get everyone home safely.”
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