Several airlines are trying to get back on track after Friday night’s winter storm threw a wrench in Spring Break travel plans.
According to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, on Sunday at least 66 flights were canceled and more than 140 were delayed.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS received a handful of messages from people regarding complaints about Sun Country’s communication with customers following canceled or delayed flights.
In a statement, Sun Country acknowledged the busy phone lines at the call center and explained that weather-related issues were the root cause of travel disruption.
Some passengers explained their frustration with poor communication.
A display at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport shows a canceled flights on Feb. 22, 2023. (KSTP-TV)
Angie Quiroz found out she was stuck in San Juan after a family getaway for Spring Break.
Quiroz said her family sat in the airport for over five hours before Sun Country alerted travelers their flight was canceled.
“It sucked. It was bad,” she said. “It’s a huge inconvenience. We have two small children and you just feel abandoned.”
On Saturday night, the family of eight was stuck with the bill for three hotel rooms, additional meals and transportation.
Quiroz said getting in touch with the airline was its own battle.
“We had zero communication from them and nobody has even called us back still,” she said.
Hundreds of travelers filled baggage claim at MSP on Sunday after navigating canceled and delayed flights.
Some people are looking on the bright side.
“Unfortunate circumstances turned into an extra day in paradise and meeting new friends,” Haley Bartram, a Sun Country traveler, said.
Bartram spent an extra night in Cancun with her husband after their flight was canceled.
She said they were able to get through the busy phone lines to rebook.
“We passed the phone around to our whole group. We didn’t know any of the people, but they were just people standing with us so that they could all get rescheduled,” Bartram said. “Everyone’s calls kept getting dropped from the lines being so crazy.”
While some customers are choosing to give the airline another shot, others are calling it quits.
“This was our second time that we flew Sun Country and it’ll be our last,” Quiroz said.
Sun Country released a statement explaining the impacts of the storm on operations are carrying over into Sunday.
Sun Country Full statement:
“Sun Country is doing everything we can to get our passengers to their destinations. Unfortunately, we are continuing to experience aircraft and crew out of position from yesterday’s storm and have had to cancel a number of flights today. If you are traveling today, please continue to check your flight status. In addition, affected travelers should watch their emails today for rebooking instructions. We apologize for the disruption and long hold times for our call center. While these events are preventing us from full operations today, they do not lessen our team members’ commitment to safe, reliable operations and to the comfort and care of our customers. Thank you again for your patience.”
