It’s been a challenging week for airline travelers as the winter weather has led to several days of frustration across the U.S. and Oregon. And most have little recourse but to wait it out.
Dozens of flights have been canceled at both the Eugene and Portland airports.
Among those stuck: Tennepah Brainard, a senior at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe. She’s been trying to get back there since Sunday. After so many cancellations, she’s resigned to staying with her family in Eugene a bit longer, and seeing if her instructors will let her do classes online.
“Some of them are telling me that it’s getting pretty hard, they don’t do Zooms,” she told KLCC. “And I’m like, ‘Well, I can’t do anything about this, can you just make an exception, please?’”
Brainard says the terminal at the Eugene Airport was chilly, and communication was sporadic between gate staff and passengers. She kept herself entertained with Netflix movies on her phone, and making trips to the nearby stands for tissues and cough drops.
She and her father spent 11 hours at the airport until they realized the flight to New Mexico just wasn’t happening. Her mom picked them up and took them home.
This winter has been a difficult one for the aviation industry. Prior to the successive waves of freezing rain and powerful winds, the FAA also grounded all Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets after an Alaskan Airlines flight lost a plug door panel leaving Portland earlier this month.
Air travelers weren't the only ones feeling frustrated this week. Amtrak canceled most trips between Eugene and Portland, and the Oregon Point bus service in the Willamette Valley was also not operating.
With forecasts calming down and temperatures warming up this week, airline travel is expected to resume gradually. The backlog of flights and stranded passengers will complicate efforts.
For the latest closings in the KLCC listening area, visit our Closings page.
