CHICAGO — More than 11,000 flights were canceled or delayed across the U.S. on Thursday because of a dangerous winter storm.
Thousands more are already canceled for Friday, including a couple dozen from DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field.
Among those stranded just days before Christmas were some members of the Allen High School band.
They’d flown to Chicago to participate in the Midwest Classic international music conference.
About half of the students and chaperones were able to make it home on a flight to DFW Airport, but about half were stuck in Chicago when their flight was canceled.
A district spokesperson said the group was told they would not be able to leave on a flight until Dec. 27.
So, the district decided to charter buses and hire professional drivers.
They are expected to arrive in North Texas Friday afternoon.
LOVE FIELD
The main problem at Love Field on Thursday was delayed flights.
Some flights to and from Denver, Chicago, Nashville, and Little Rock were canceled, but many flights were delayed.
Grant Keebaugh was among those who arrived home for Christmas later than planned.
“Getting to Phoenix, I was delayed around an hour and a half or two hours. That was misery at its finest. Then, getting here, we got delayed on the runway for about an hour,” he said at Love Field.
But he said he knew things could be worse.
DFW Airport
DFW Airport had to de-ice planes for much of the morning. Some were still undergoing the procedure late in the evening.
Despite several delayed flights, check-in and security lines at DFW were short in most terminals.
Perhaps that’s thanks in part to passengers like Mary Washington of Dallas.
She was on her way to Las Vegas with family to celebrate her birthday.
“I woke up this morning it was snowing, cold and I said, let’s go now. So I have been here since 2 p.m.,” she said.
Her flight was at 10:30 p.m.
She was too early to even check-in, but she was relaxed knowing at least she was inside the airport and warm.