INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis International Airport said 25 planes were grounded Friday and 20,000 to 30,000 passengers were stranded after the Federal Aviation Administration announced a nationwide ground stop. By Saturday, the airport’s flight board showed fewer cancellations, but many passengers still faced delays.
“I might just live here. Seriously, I’m not paying $300 for one evening in a motel,” Michael Ruyle said. His Saturday afternoon flight to Tampa was pushed to Monday morning, so he plans to make the most of his two-day stay at the airport.
“If I have to camp out in an airport, I love watching people. And this is the prime spot. And today there were hundreds of hundreds of peoeple who weren’t too happy that were dealing with it.”
Lynne Goodman rolled through the airport in a wheelchair as her husband pushed her. Her flight to Tampa was scheduled to leave at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, but the airline moved it to 5:30 a.m. Sunday. She said she planned to spend the night with her oxygen tank.
“I’m going to get comfy in a chair. I got all my chargers for my breathing apparatus over here. I guess I have to find another plug to keep charging.”
The airport said about 11,000 passengers departed Saturday. Officials said operations could take several days to return to normal.
Officials attributed the nationwide ground stop to data overload and telecommunications problems involving older systems. The disruption frustrated international travelers, including Gustavo Santiago and Claudio Junior, who were traveling back to Brazil.
The men said they were trying to navigate travel logistics in a different country while working with their airlines after their Saturday flight was pushed to Monday.
“The worst part is the company (the airline) doesn’t give us anything. No food. No hotel room.” Santiago said they had to pay additional costs out of pocket.
Other passengers said they did not rely on their airlines for rebooking. Some found same-day flights online, even when the new tickets cost an additional $300 to $400.
Passenger traffic is expected to be heavy on Sunday because of Indianapolis events, including Bands of America and the Percussive Arts Society gathering. Airport officials expect about 22,000 travelers, twice Saturday’s volume. They recommended arriving early to allow enough time to reach the gate.
