As Thanksgiving weekend ends, many travelers are returning back home, but a snowstorm in the Midwest has left some stranded at airports around the country.
As of Monday morning, Tampa International Airport had seven cancelled flights and 75 delays. That is about 15 percent of the overall flights for the day. Delays are expected to increase as the storm moves east.
“When we see some of these winter storms, they have a domino effect on flights across the country,” said Emily Nipps, Senior Communications Manager at Tampa International Airport.
The storm has mostly affected arrivals from and departures to Chicago, Boston, Newark and Atlanta. Passengers have experienced average delays of one to three hours.
“Throughout the day we do expect it to get a little worse. It just depends on how quickly they can clear the ice and how long the storm persists up north,” said Nipps.
People traveling to places affected by the storm can check in with their airline carriers for notifications on possible delays or cancellations.
Nipps advised people picking up travelers with delayed flights to keep traffic moving at airport curbsides by utilizing the free Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Parking in the Short Term Garage is also available for free for the first hour.
Tampa International says that if it gets to the point where people have to spend the night, the airport will provide cots, blankets, and pillows for travelers. They are also prepared to keep restaurants and shops open later to accommodate passengers.
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