Southwest passengers stranded at OIA after winter weather causes flight cancellations

ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s been a stressful weekend for people at airports across the country.

Winter weather across the East Coast has caused many Southwest Airlines flights to be cancelled, diverted or delayed.

Passengers at Orlando International Airport said it’s been a frustrating experience sleeping at the airport.

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“I’m going on 36 hours, I think,” said Ashley Williams who has been trying get back home to Maryland for a day and a half now.

Williams is one of hundreds of people who have had to call Southwest’s rebooking line.

Instead of spending her last day of vacation resting, Williams has been stuck at OIA.

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Williams said her new flight is scheduled for later tonight.

Other travelers haven’t been so lucky. MacKenzie Seonebraker said she has had three flights cancelled in the past day.

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“Our initial flight was at 12:20 yesterday. Then it got delayed four hours,” Seaonebraker said. “Then we decided to fly into a different airport yesterday… that didn’t have a pilot so that got cancelled this morning.”

Southwest Airlines has been tweeting back at people who’ve been impacted by the delay. They are apologizing to passengers for the inconvenience and trying to rebook people as efficiently as possible.

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