Travelers at Orlando International Airport still feeling ripple effects after FAA ground stop
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 or forced to abandon their plans altogether.
The travel headaches stretched well beyond the initial stoppage, with delays and cancellations still affecting passengers at MCO the next morning.
For Terry Grimes, the disruption turned what was supposed to be a trip to Puerto Rico with his wife into more than a day of waiting.
“We’ve been up now for, what, 26 hours,” Grimes said.
Grimes said he and his wife were at the gate around 2 a.m. when their flight was canceled. After hours of uncertainty, they decided to give up on 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.”
Despite the frustration, Grimes said he was trying to keep perspective.
“Grandma said it doesn’t do any good to cry about it, so you might as well laugh about it,” he said.
Other travelers at Orlando International were still waiting and watching the flight boards, unsure whether their plans would hold.
Emma and Lily Graves were among those caught in the back-and-forth. The sisters said they were supposed to travel for a tennis tournament Monday, but the uncertainty at the airport left them wondering what would happen next.
“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 the impact continued into Saturday as airlines worked through delays, cancellations and rescheduled flights.
Passengers traveling through MCO are encouraged to check directly with their airline for the latest flight status before heading to the airport.
This is a developing story. News 6 will continue monitoring flight disruptions at Orlando International Airport as airlines work to restore normal schedules following the FAA’s nationwide ground stop.