Minnesotans determined to get to their destinations drive cross-country after flight cancelations
AFTON, Minn. – With more than 19,000 flights canceled across the country, some travelers are ditching rescheduled flights all together. Some Minnesotans opted for impromptu road trips instead.
Steph Winsor made it back to Afton to see her family, but her flight back home to Denver was canceled. She couldn't find another flight for three more days at three times the cost.
MORE: Feds demand accountability, help for passengers as Southwest experiences historic "meltdown"
Winsor got in a spare family car and drove for two days, something she never wants to do again.
"For me, the holidays really are about spending time with people you love, and so to spend it alone, driving through the middle of the night [laughs] to stay in a hotel in the middle of Nebraska is definitely not my ideal version of a Christmas night," said Winsor.
A long road trip is also in store for Sue and Todd Megrund, who are taking a several day road trip to San Antonio, Texas.
"So our car is in our garage, we're ready to load, and we are gonna leave first thing in the morning," said Sue Megrund, who is determined to make this trip to see her 85-year-old dad. "I was just hoping to be able to spend Christmas with my dad because I know there's probably not going to be very many of them in the future."
Todd, Sue and Sue's brother had two flights canceled out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport before they made the call to drive. They saw the chaos at the airport first hand and feel thankful that Minnesota is home, so they are able to wait out the mess in comfort.
MORE: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves travelers stranded
"When we were in line at the airport, there was a guy who hadn't slept in a bed since last Thursday, so Thursday through Sunday he had not even slept in a bed," said Megrund.
The Megrunds have some advice for others in a similar position. They had rental car success going to the main terminal at MSP, not Terminal 2, where Southwest flies through.
