Sacramento airport travelers continue feeling effects of nationwide ground stop
Even though the skies are back to being busy, some people at the Sacramento International Airport are still struggling to catch a flight, more than a day after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop order.
Thousands of travelers were left uncertain if their flight would depart on time — or at all. Others worried that while their first flight may eventually depart, it would be too late to make a connecting fligt.
"It was going to be an overnight from Portland to Miami. But I'm going to miss the flight if this flight doesn't go out," said Debbie Winter, a delayed traveler.
Other travelers were fortunate enough to avoid getting caught up in the cancellation chaos.
"We were playing a basketball tournament over at Chico State, and we got really nervous," Anthony Canales, a member of a basketball team flying back to Washington, said. "Would have been like a 12-hour drive back to Bellingham, Washington, where we're from."
Employees at car rentals near the airport said they were incredibly busy, as many travelers cut their losses and decided to drive instead.
"Either way, I was going to rent a car, but already be in Santa Rosa. So, all right, so I'm going to enjoy a two-hour drive to Santa Rosa now, getting to know the the area," said Javier Guillen, who decided to eschew his flight to drive a rental instead.
He was just one passenger on one of the thousands of flights that were either delayed or cancelled.
U.S Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held a press conference Saturday morning, and said that the grounding was done for passenger safety.
"We shut down the airspace and we do it safely. We get you on the ground and then we work on isolating the problem and then opening the airspace back up, which is what we did yesterday," Duffy said during the press conference.
As airlines and airports are still struggling to recover, travelers remain uncertain — but are still taking it all in stride.
"I didn't see a lot of people pissed off. It was like, okay, let's just kind of go with the flow," Guillen said.
According to the transportation department, travelers who have their flight cancelled are guaranteed a refund from the airline, regardless of what kind of ticket was purchased. Alternatively, passengers can get a penalty-free rebooking for a different flights.
If a domestic flight is delayed by more than three hours, travelers are eligible for a refund, according to the department. However, if they choose to wait out the delay, they are not eligible for any recourse.
There are already hundreds of flights tomorrow that have been canceled, as well as numerous delays.
