ORLANDO, Fla. — With hundreds of flights canceled or delayed at Orlando International Airport, many travelers are seeking alternative options.
Passengers like John Rizzo hope to head home to NY, “My flight was canceled on Sunday due to the snow, due to the storm.”
That’s why he has a backup plan, “I made another reservation for today and another one for even Thursday in case this one’s canceled.”
People of all ages are feeling the stress of flying. Oliva Cukauskas says she’s here with other students because it’s their senior trip. “We’re all getting antsy; we just want to go home.” Parent Ashley Lloyd says, “It’s just been a bunch of mass confusion. We’re unsure of, you know, if the flight is going to get canceled.”
Travel agent Gayle Fortin, franchise owner of Cruise Planners recommends using a booking engine like Kayak to search for flights. If you can’t find another flight home, there are other options. “I have clients, some will take an Amtrak to get home, some take a bus, some just rent a car.”
Fortin says depending on where you’re headed, renting a car can be the most affordable alternative.
It’s something Rizzo’s ready to do if needed. “If I couldn’t fly home, I would just rent a car and drive home if I had to.”
Meanwhile, students like Olivia from NY are doing what they can to keep occupied, hoping they’ll fly out tonight. “Some of us have been playing cards. We’ve been watching TV, making videos, you know, just talking to each other, keeping entertained. We’re all getting a little bit sick of each other, just a tad.”
Fortin recommends being nice to the ticket agent at the counter, because yelling could backfire on passengers looking for another way out.
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