Hundreds still stranded at Bush Airport after severe weather cancels, delays flights

HOUSTON — Thousands of passengers are in a game of ‘hurry up and wait’ as flights across the U.S. are delayed, some by several hours, because of bad weather across the country.  

Josh Kuykendal is crossing his fingers he will be able to board a 9 p.m. plane bound for Seattle Monday night. The Houstonian was supposed to arrive in Washington just before midnight the day before but severe weather across Houston ruined his travel plans.

“It was pretty interesting, just getting here and having delay after delay after delay,” said Kuykendal. “And then get on the plane, get out to the tarmac, get ready to take off and pilots come out on the intercom saying, hey we’re out of hours. We’re going to get you back to the gate. We get here. They cancel the flight.”

“We’ll get on standby and we’re going to make some fun memories,” said a hopeful Cynthia Mayes.  The Oregon woman had hoped to catch a cruise out of Florida with her grandchildren.  Mayes wanted to take the vacation with her family before starting chemotherapy next week.  

“We’ve paid for flights that united says it isn’t going to be able to reimburse because it’s weather and we’ve paid for our cruise which carnival isn’t going to reimburse because it wasn’t their fault,” said Mayes. “A lot of expense there, investment there, I guess we should have bought some insurance or something.”

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According to Flight Aware.com is tracking more than 3,000 flights delayed within, in or out of the U.S. and another 500 flights within, in or out of the U.S. cancelled.

Kim Yong-Jun, a journalist returning to Korea says his Delta flight was delayed 12-hours. 

“I cannot expect this situation,” said Jun who had never traveled within the U.S.

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