Travelers stranded as winter weather closes Sioux Falls Regional Airport

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - It’s a traveler’s worst nightmare: a winter storm right before Christmas. It’s left many people at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport stranded, looking to get home for the holidays.

All flights are canceled well ahead, and the airport itself is closed until at least 6:00 p.m. Friday as the blizzard conditions makes it dangerous for crews to be out and it’s affecting their equipment.

That’s left travelers like Jake Booth looking for the next flight out. Booth is trying to make it to family in Birmingham, Alabama, and this is the first time in months he’s been able to travel back.

“I’ve been planning this trip for a while. I’ve been planning on going to see my family, because I haven’t talked to them or seen them in maybe about eight months. I had got the whole trip booked and everything like that.” Booth said.

That all changed when airlines, and then the airport itself, started canceling flights and closing down.

“They came over the intercom saying that ‘Sorry, all Delta flights are canceled.’ And I’m like, are you serious right now? I’ve been sitting here ever since 7:00 this morning, because I wanted to get ahead of security and get ahead of the rush.” Booth said.

Others like Sawyer Silliker are stuck for work. Originally trying to fly back to Montana, he said he’ll need to see if trying to fly out from Sioux Falls is still the best option.

“I’m on a business trip right now. So poor planning, and I decided to come out here. Now I’m seeing the downfall of it.” Silliker said.

Booth lives hours from Sioux Falls, so going home isn’t an option even with the blizzard conditions. But he said he’ll keep trying to make it out from Sioux Falls as soon as he can.

“I want to be at home with my family. I’ve told them I was coming in, and I don’t want to disappoint anybody and say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m coming in for Christmas,’ and then never show up. That doesn’t just make me look bad, it makes feel bad as well because I can’t see anybody that I haven’t talked to in so long.” Booth said.

So to say the least, it’s not shaping up to be a very merry Christmas for some. But plenty of others are also optimistic that they’ll be able to get home just in time for the holidays to see their families.

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