SALT LAKE CITY – A Delta Airlines de-icing issue Thursday night and Friday morning at Salt Lake International Airport caused several flight delays and even forced passengers to spend the night in the terminals.
Delta passenger Doug Flagler told FOX 13 that he is having to spend the night in the airport due to the delays and he feels bad for parents and families who have kids in this situation.
“There are a lot of kids sleeping on the floor and a lot of rambunctious kids running around the airport too that tires parents,” Flagler said.
Salt Lake International Airports spokeswoman Nancy Volmer said during a massive storm or delay the airport has plans in place but has no control over de-icing teams. Those teams are run by the individual airlines.
“The plan also includes ensuring food and beverage are available to passengers and helping our passengers to be as comfortable as possible,” Volmer said.
Not only were there people spending the night at the airport but there were also delays that lasted several hours prior to liftoff. Aldana Gale, a Utah resident who’s flying to Argentina to visit family, sat in her airplane for three hours.
“I just feel like maybe they could have let us get off the plane. Cause I mean, I am from Utah so maybe I would have been able to get a ride home or something but instead, we had to stay in a plane, a crowded hot plane, for three hours,” Gale said.
Delta Airlines sent FOX 13 this statement following the incident:
“Delta apologizes to customers delayed departing from Salt Lake City International Airport last night due to unanticipated winter weather. During the delay, Delta worked to reaccommodate customers and provided customers with meal vouchers, snacks, beverages, pillows and blankets. All impacted flights delayed due to last night’s weather have no operated and taken customers to their destinations.”
