JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As a battering winter storm travels across the United States, many Northeast Florida residents’ travel plans have been impacted.
Since Wednesday, FlightAware, a flight tracking tool said more than 10,000 flights from U.S.-based airlines have been canceled.
As of Saturday, 20 flights were canceled at the Jacksonville International Airport with 60 flights being delayed.
There were long lines at the airport and plenty of travelers with delayed or canceled flights.
“They moved us from gate to gate and then all of a sudden it got canceled,” Melissa told News4JAX.
Melissa said she and her daughter always fly out on Christmas Eve, so it’s something they expected to encounter.
“They’re trying to reroute us, but it’ll probably put us into tomorrow or even Monday before they can get us the soonest flights,” Melissa said.
Muhammad Abdallah was in the same boat as Melissa; however, he said he didn’t get an email that his flight was canceled until he was on his way to the airport.
“I don’t know what’s going on or figure out what’s going to happen to me. I’m just left out alone. That’s what it is,” Abdallah said.
Melissa and Abdallah are among thousands of Americans impacted by flight cancellations ahead of the Christmas holiday.
One family whose flight was originally canceled was able to book with another airline -- saving a Christmas trip they’d been planning for seven years.
Another man said he had to spend two hours on the phone with another airline to be able to make it to his Christmas destination.