SPOKANE, Wash. — The arrivals and departures board at Spokane International Airport was not a welcome sight to many hopeful holiday travelers Friday.
Early in the morning, some people found out their flights, especially those to Seattle, were grounded.
“I’ve heard everything was really bad, snow out of Seattle, Portland, everything else," said Dick Burney on his way to Boise.
“I’ve been here for nine hours. Waiting. Just waiting," Kai Julkowski said.
Winter storms grounded 38 flights in or out of Spokane early Friday; 52 more were delayed.
Some had longer wait times than others.
“We’ve been stuck here since yesterday. Since yesterday," said Jose Gomez, whose family started their trip to Seattle in Panama. "I mean, there are too much hours.”
The Gomez family's plane from Florida was diverted into Spokane after the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA-TAC) shut down all flights early Friday.
“Today I don’t think it will have another flight," Gomez said. "Depends on the weather. If we might have the chance, we have the chance and we take it and we go to Seattle.”
The family opted instead to stay in the airport nearly all day until an aunt could drive from Seattle to pick them up.
Others waited for alternate flights, filling up Alaska Airlines seats for two whole days.
The Warren family's trip from Montana ended up taking a huge detour in Missoula.
“Got there and our plane was cancelled," Dennis Warren said. "Had to turn in our car, had to rent another car. We’re online, on the phone with the airlines forever and they finally rerouted us.”
The family of four was rerouted to Spokane to catch the first of many flights home to Orlando.
“Spokane to Phoenix, Phoenix to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Orlando arriving sometime tomorrow," Warren said, adding that they're thankful to be getting home in time for Christmas and to pick up their dogs from daycare.
Other people weren't so lucky in catching a connection. Cancelled flights meant cancelled plans for many, who are now making the best of this wintry gift.
“There’s no flights available until the 26th is what I’ve been told," said Julkowski, who was prepared to meet his girlfriend in Hawaii but will instead have to stay home in Rathdrum. “Gonna be a cold Christmas this year, but that’s okay."
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