Day two of travel chaos for United passengers at Denver International Airport. Dozens of delays and cancellations have now led to a headache-inducing baggage claim area, as passengers searched for their belongings on Wednesday.
“I’m frustrated, real frustrated,” Leo Mullen said. “I’ve been trying to go on this golf trip for a few years, so this is kind of putting a thorn in our plans now.”
From coast to coast, hundreds of thousands of people are stranded. According to a United spokesperson, the first flights were affected by severe storms, and then a shortage of staff at airlines and FAA air traffic control operations made the situation worse.
It’s all just a storm before the bigger storm. The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday will be the deadliest day for travel during the Fourth of July period.
Betsy Moston has been stuck in Denver since Tuesday morning. She has now missed a cruise to Alaska with her family, leaving her with thousands of dollars.
“Oh, there are people on the floor in every lobby, old people, young people, people in wheelchairs, it’s awful,” Moston said. “If I’m being honest, I want to say I want to find a really good class-action lawsuit, because there’s probably 5,000 more people who are going to join me. And you know, there’s really no offer of help for any of those people here who are stranded.”
Michael Jobin was traveling to Hawaii for his anniversary with his wife and sons, but like hundreds of other travelers, he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I think our airlines are a complete mess. It’s the saddest thing in the world,” said Jobin. “United just threw the ball at this ball.”
For now, United Airlines is rebooking customers for the holidays, but with the Fourth of July approaching, Mullen said passengers should prepare for the road trip ahead or stay home.
“Literally buckle up, and be prepared for chaos and a lot of changes along the way,” he said.
A United Airlines customer said that for those whose travel has been disrupted, the mobile app now automatically provides personalized rebooking options, bag tracking information, meal vouchers and hotels when you qualify if your flight is delayed or cancelled, making it easier and less stressful to get back on your way.
Customers whose flights have been canceled can get a refund if they no longer wish to travel.