Severe weather on Sunday caused widespread flight delays and cancellations across the country, impacting travel in North Carolina just one day before one of the busiest holiday travel days of the season.
At Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), dozens of flights were delayed, but many passengers took the situation in stride, relieved that the airport wasn’t overwhelmed by the typical holiday rush.
“You know, traffic outside the airport is a little congested, but inside, everything’s running smoothly. So, I’m very happy,” said Christine Martinez, who was flying home to Miami with her children after spending Christmas in the Triangle area. Her flight was delayed, originally scheduled for 7:30 p.m., but now expected to leave after 8 p.m.
Martinez and her family, however, weren’t too upset by the delay. “It’s delayed. We’re supposed to leave around 7:30, now after 8,” she said. “But we’re happy, we’re excited. We like the airport, so we have a little extra time to go and eat and just hang out.”
While delays affected numerous flights across the country, travelers like Martinez remained calm. “I don’t know if it’s the weather or you know, it could be anything at this point,” she said. “We’re just happy to be here.”
For some, the weather did cause a bit of nervousness. Brayden Cameron, who was flying to Texas, said, “No, it’s the last thing you want, right? You want to get home and be done with it.” Despite his flight appearing on time, Cameron kept a close watch on the weather. “I think it’s better here than it is there. So hopefully no weather delays or anything like that because it can get delayed three or four hours sometimes,” he said.
Despite the weather concerns, Cameron and other travelers found themselves well-prepared for the busy travel period. “I’d heard some stuff on the news about it being busier this time of year, so I always want to leave, like two hours or an hour and a half beforehand,” Cameron said. But when he arrived, there was no rush at the airport. “I couldn’t even check my luggage in because I was so early,” he added.
Brenda McMillan, also flying to Dallas, had similar expectations. “I told my niece, I said, ‘well, I don’t leave until eight, but I think I need to get there early because it’s probably a big crowd because people rushing back,’” McMillan said. However, like Cameron, she found the airport surprisingly calm.
