Hotmail
Readers share horror stories of holiday travel
I came home to Puerto Rico last week for the holidays. I am really thinking about extending my stay. It has been an average of 83 degrees for the past week. I can't even imagine getting into a plane to get back in a few days, although TX is not so bad at the moment.
— Sonia, Austin, Texas
The roads is very bad out there! It take me 13 hours to get to St. Louis, Mo. from Minneapolis, Mn. There were cars out on the road and side os the roads that were truned over. Trucks was also turned over. I hope if any body is traveling please be very careful out there. You have to drive for yourself and others on the road.
— Elizabeth, Minneapolis
My son and his wife had booked a flight, straight through from LAX to JFK, last Friday night. I anticipated delays, etc., due to the weather last Friday on the East coast. Incredibly, they arrived at JFK with absolutely no problems and actually landed one full hour ahead of schedule! Just about the only "happy ending" travel story I've heard this holiday!
— Carol Lamparter, Selinsgrove, Penn.
Snow on the ground, but with winter tires, a drive is a joy! Why? Because all those who are unprepared for winter have the intelligence to stay home! No traffic, just beautiful white, white, white! I love it!
— Cheryl C., Chilliwack, B.C.
Weather here in Tampa Bay area is just fine. Flying to Chicago tonight and concerned if we will see our new granddaughter's first Christmas.
— F. Lauro, Tampa Bay, Fla.
We just got power back to our home after 10 days without! We just got blasted with 2 major storms (snow) which dumped over 24 inches in a 3 day span with another storm due in Christmas Eve. Have not been able to Christmas shop yet. Lost all food in fridge. This was devasting to hundreds of thousands of people in NH, MA and ME!
— Dorothy Mellett, Sandown, N.H.
I am a travel agent in Ct and its been insane. But people need to remember those of us in this industry do not control the weather. If we did we would be God and not taking your phone call or working at the airport.
— Kelly, Conn.
We spent the weekend in a Blizzard Warning, but we Midwesterners can take it! I can't imagine risking my, or my child's life, to get to the airport no matter HOW used to bad weather we are! Lots of snow last week, lots of wind over the weekend, and -40 degree windchills. Aaaaah, Iowa! This makes us really appreciate summer weather.
— Angela, Orange City, Iowa
Sometimes the driving conditions around here have not been the best, but my travel plans are simple. I have a sister that lives about 150 feet away so I will just walk and save travel time.
— Don Stockstill, Ozark, Mo.
We drove to Charlotte, from West Virginia, to travel to Los Angeles. we wanted to avoid the airports near us, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc. It helps we have family in Charlotte. We should be OK, from Charlotte to Los Angeles.
— George Torres
Southern California region - 5 freeway North bound through heavy traffic area known as GRAPEVINE has been periodlically closed to due to snow. The alternate routes are also snowed in as well. We're driving from Grand Junction, CO, to Colorado Springs, CO, and I-70 is notoriously snowy in the winter. Right now it's snowing heavily and we'll probably have to wait for our drive a few days, until Christmas Eve. But we're keeping positive spirits and remembering the reason that we celebrate Christmas!
— Kelly Halteman, Valencia, Calif.
— Caroline M., Colorado Springs, Colo.
Today show The unreported story is how airlines in alternate cities took advantage of customers trying to get home for the holidays. My son, who is in the service, was scheduled through Seattle and his flight was canceled. He lives near major airports in California, however every time he found a reasonable flight it became unavailable at the posted price. The new price was in many cases three times higher.
We were scheduled to fly out of Logan (Boston) yesterday at 4:30 enroute to Philadelphia then Brussels, Belgium via US Air. We arrived at the airport 2 and half hours early, checked our baggage then suddenly the flight was cancelled as were later ones to Philadelphia meaning we would not make our flight to Brussels. The US Air staff was overwhelmed offering no assistance to fly with another airline. After getting home, I encountered a 2 hour telephone wait only to be advised the earliest we could be re-scheduled was 12/26/08. With airlines reducing the number of flights to gain capacity efficiencies, they simply lack the capacity to respond when there is a weather "hiccup."
Dec. 22: A blast of winter weather continues to create travel and power havoc around the U.S.
— Howard Budd, Whitman, Mass.
— George Brown, Portland, Maine
Not traveling myself, but the Salt Lake City Greyhound bus terminal has had stranded travelers there for 4 days now and has offered little in the way of help for them. It took the media going in there and asking questions to find out the situation. Someone at the terminal could have notified the media immediately so people can help out. There isn't any reason for this to happen.
— T.L., Harrisville, Utah
Our area in Washington received about 10 inches of snow. I am supposed to fly out on Christmas Eve to visit family in Georgia, but I am debating whether I should go. I don't want to lose the money I paid for my plane ticket but it doesn't seem to be worth the risk of getting stuck in an airport for Christmas.
— Christa, Silverdale, Wash.
Trying to fly into Portland, OR, since Thur, Dec 18th. Thurs was cancelled because of the snow in Las Vegas. Was rescheduled through Phoenix, AZ, on Fri but was unable to go becase of the fog in Lynchburg, VA. Finally flew out on Sat but had to stay the night in Philly because of the snow in Portland. Went out the next morning and almost did not land in Portland due to the longer runway needing cleaning. Finally landed only 3 days late!
— Jenny Walter, Lynchburg, Va.
— Kathryn, Connecticut
My daughter's train was cancelled Sunday morning in Kalispell MT. She was supposed to come to Minnesota. She ended up on a bus to Missoula and then east to Minneapolis, and will arrive 16 hours later than we had planned. Not too bad considering what others are going thru.
— Gail Matthews, Grand Rapids, Minn.
I planned to go from Vancouver, Wa to phoenix in a rental car but I cant even get out of my driveway to pick up the rental...the roads are completely snow covered. My car is in buried in snow past the bumpers and it just keeps coming! We're going to make the best of it and enjoy a white Christmas at home.
— Ronni Logan, Vancouver, Wash.
In Bridgeport CT they are plowing the north end, but the south end has not been plowed and the streets are a sheet of ice. It's a shame. The commuter trains from here to NY City are just running fine, but the Amtrak customers are caught waiting at the Bridgeport terminal with delays around 2 hours.
— Twaneesa Banks, Bridgeport, Conn.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM SEASONAL |
 Seasonal Section Front |
| Add Seasonal headlines to your news reader: |
Resource guide