ORLANDO, Fla – The effects of a nationwide FAA ground stop that lasted more than four hours Friday continued to disrupt travel at Orlando International Airport on Saturday, leaving some passengers exhausted, stranded and unable to continue with their plans.
Although the ground stop had ended, delays and cancellations were still affecting travelers at MCO the following morning.
For Terry Grimes, what was meant to be a trip to Puerto Rico with his wife became more than a day of waiting and uncertainty.
“We’ve been up now for, what, 26 hours,” Grimes said.
Grimes said he and his wife arrived at their gate around 2 a.m., only to learn that their flight had been canceled. After spending hours waiting for answers, they decided to call off the trip.
“We were at the gate… this was about 2:00 in the morning, and they canceled that one,” he said. “So we gave up.”
Even with the disappointment, Grimes said he was doing his best to maintain a sense of humor.
“Grandma said it doesn’t do any good to cry about it, so you might as well laugh about it,” he said.
Across Orlando International Airport, other travelers continued checking the flight boards and waiting to see whether their plans would go forward.
Sisters Emma and Lily Graves were among those dealing with the uncertainty. They were scheduled to travel for a tennis tournament Monday, but the ongoing disruptions had them questioning whether they would be able to make it.
“We have a tennis tournament on Monday, but I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” one of them said.
The FAA ground stop ended Friday, but its effects carried into Saturday as airlines worked to manage delays, cancellations and newly rescheduled flights.
Passengers flying through MCO are advised to check with their airline for the latest flight information before leaving for the airport.
This is a developing story. News 6 will continue tracking disruptions at Orlando International Airport as airlines work to return to normal schedules after the FAA’s nationwide ground stop.
