Anguished waiting or frantic search for alternatives: hundreds of thousands of travelers find themselves stranded by the grounding of all flights in the United States, which sows confusion at airports.
At LaGuardia Airport in New York, Janice Llewellyn is on the verge of tears at the thought of missing her daughter’s wedding in Canada.
“Oh my! I wish there was another flight, I wish I could take another flight right now”says this 61-year-old woman, who is desperately looking for an alternative route.
“I might lose my mind, my husband flew in from England so he could attend the wedding”she explains to AFP.
At the Las Vegas airport, some passengers were informed that their flights were delayed due to wind. An airline employee said the grounding would last eight hours. Another mentioned a 24-hour delay.
The American aviation regulator (FAA) has ordered all American airports to block all takeoffs, as a precautionary measure following “communication problems” affecting several air traffic control centers.
But the lack of information for travelers about what’s next has pushed many passengers to form long queues at car rental counters, in a frantic race to find alternatives.
“Friday the 13th”
Joseph Anderson, who was trying to return to Oakland from Las Vegas, considered hitting the road, but according to him, “if the whole country is at a standstill, that means that the highways will be blocked too”. And this retired Air Force veteran, aged 72, notes that baggage already checked in was being held.
This means that “we’re a little stuck”he said: “I hope the FAA will improve its communication”.
This immobilization on the ground comes a few weeks before the most intense travel period of the year in the country, the great rush of Thanksgiving, an American holiday marked by family reunions. And it falls just before a particularly busy weekend for professional and college sports competitions.
In New York, Tiara Johnson was headed to Orlando, Florida, to attend a concert this weekend, but hopes of arriving on time were dwindling.
“We think we’ll be there in three hours, but the whole evening is a bit ruined! »notes the fifty-year-old: “But hey, they say it’s Friday the 13th! »
Passengers stare at their cell phones, calm but annoyed, wandering the terminal with no real direction.
Hagit Levy Shalev, 54, remains calm. She has booked a new flight for Sunday morning, which means her business trip will take a little longer. “I will get there”she said, laughing. And to add: “One more day away from the children!” »
Sandra is experienced travel guide expert with a passion for exploration and cultural immersion.
