Travelers and crew feeling ‘pissed’ or ‘lucky’ depending on level of upset amid nationwide ground stop
The US Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to ground all flights on Friday threw airports and travel plans into chaos across the country, as passengers on planes and in airport terminals were suddenly thrust into limbo.
At New York’s John F Kennedy airport, passengers found their travel plans abruptly cancelled – some even after they’d boarded.
Steve Honberger, heading home to Portland, Oregon, with his wife and daughter, said he’d been on a plane about to take off when the shutdown was announced.
“They didn’t seem to know what’s happening, and they wanted to hold off as long as possible,” Honberger said. The plane sat at the gate for an hour and 40 minutes.
They realized they were just going to be sitting at the gate, so they eventually asked to deplane and rebook.
Many still thought it worth showing up despite the uncertainty of when flights would resume. Rashid Kahn, heading for Miami, said he’d “heard about the ground stop on the news, but the airline said we might take off 10 or 11pm”.
“I am hopeful,” he added. “But maybe it’s something to do with the date. I’m not super serious, but it’s Friday the 13th.”
