PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As the roads improve in Portland, it seems the winter weather continues to impact traffic in the skies, as PDX saw long lines and a list of delays and cancellations this Christmas.
Sunday saw 26 cancellations and even more delays leaving travelers to wonder if they’ll be home for Christmas or trapped at the airport.
“It doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to make it for Christmas, said Luna, one of the many travelers stuck at PDX. “It sucks but there’s nothing I can really do about it.”
As the weather warms up in Portland, in other parts of the country winter storms are still packing a punch and causing cancellations and delays for many traveling out of PDX.
Like Luna, who was supposed to be on her way to Wichita, Kansas Sunday afternoon but said she woke up to a text stating her flight had been rebooked.
When I looked at the app it said my flight was moved three days from now and it has two stops instead of just one,” Luna said.
Since then, Luna told KOIN 6 it’s been a day of nonstop waiting — two hours on the phone and three hours in line at the customer service desk for Southwest Airlines.
And Luna wasn’t alone, there was a string of travelers facing similar struggles, all desperately trying to make it on a flight this Christmas.
“Actually, most of us in line,” Luna continued. “The people behind us and in front of us. One lady actually left, she said, ‘I’m done waiting’ and walked out because it was just too much.”
In response to the long lines and delays, Southwest Airlines spokesperson Chris Perry shared this statement:
Disruption to our schedules are results of Winter Storm Elliott’s lingering effects to the totality of our operation.
There were several disruptions at PDX as airport data shows 26 flights were canceled and 35 delayed and nearly all were outgoing flights to destinations with inclement weather like Matt Rosenstein, who was planning to fly to Denver Saturday.
“I’ve been trying to get out of Portland since yesterday morning, 6 a.m., four flights canceled,” Rosenstein said. “And we got in this line about noon and we’ve been here since. No direction, guidance.”
He told KOIN 6 that at this point he has all but given up on getting home this holiday.
“I’m probably not going to get out at least for a couple days,” Rosenstein continued. “Maybe tomorrow. My wife and kids are in Denver, I’m obviously devastated that I couldn’t make it out to be with them.”
As was mentioned, many of the flight cancellations were for outgoing flights.
So, while you may not see flurries outside your window, if you have an upcoming plane to catch out of PDX, it’s still a good idea to check FlyPDX.com or to directly contact your airline.