RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – It was a frustrating Sunday for travelers flying out of Raleigh Durham International Airport as the airport faced more delays and cancellations since the FAA ordered cuts to air traffic at 40 of the country’s busiest airports.
“I’m just going to have to sit and wait it out,” said Hattie Walker, who was booked on a flight.
Walker and many others faced that same disappointment as their flights continued to be pushed back by hours, and some eventually were cancelled.
“We’re actually giving up. We are just going to a hotel, we’re going to fly at six in the morning, hopefully,” Elizabeth Moreno said.
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The delays and cancellations at RDU are making flyers like Joshua Haley miss their connecting flights. Haley made sure to plan ahead just in case.
“I’m leaving a day early, so we have about 24 hours of wiggle room, so it’s not going to affect the work, just going to affect my free time in Madrid,” Haley said.
The delays and cancellations are a direct result of air traffic controllers being reduced by 6 percent at 40 different airports Sunday.
Although RDU was not directly impacted by the cuts, the airport feeds into over 30 of the 40 markets on the list.
“Everybody just feels stuck and really frustrated,” Moreno said.
However, as air controllers and TSA workers have gone weeks without pay, flyers say this is the time to show gratitude as they continue to show up.
“Get a Starbucks gift card, get a Walmart gift card, just get a Visa gift card and just slip it to one. Might make their day and might help out more than you know. That’s my plan when I get in there is to buy someone’s dinner,” Haley said.