TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee family is finally home after being stranded in Phoenix when their flight was repeatedly delayed and eventually canceled.<\/p>\n
Tasha Pizarro owns Mama P\u2019s Ice Cream Truck in Tallahassee. <\/p>\n
She had been in Arizona for an ice cream convention when her return trip turned into a costly inconvenience. She said many passengers on the same flight shared the same sentiments. <\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of us are just tired. There is the slight angst just knowing there are people in high places pulling the strings and their life isn\u2019t affected,\u201d Pizarro said. \u201cMy business had to pay out of pocket for an additional hotel and additional food.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pizarro, her husband and their son traveled together, and their original route to Tallahassee had a layover in Atlanta. <\/p>\n
The family found a flight to Atlanta Sunday morning, where they spent hours waiting, uncertain when and how they\u2019d make it home. \u201cOur son isn\u2019t really able to get his homework done and my husband needs to get back to work Monday,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
More Tallahassee News<\/p>\n
They eventually landed in Tallahassee Sunday night. \u201cPhoenix seemed like a lifetime away. We were in two different time zones,\u201d Pizarro said.<\/p>\n
She said she was ready to rent a car and drive if she had to. According to Hertz, one-way rental car reservations are up more than 20% compared to last year as more travelers opt to drive.<\/p>\n
Pizarro\u2019s experience comes as travelers across the country face widespread delays and cancellations. <\/p>\n
Monday marks day 41 of the government shutdown and Day 4 of FAA-mandated flight reductions at several major airports, including Tampa, Atlanta, and Charlotte. <\/p>\n
The Tallahassee International Airport connects to all three, causing cancellations locally. Nearly a dozen flights in and out of TLH were canceled over the weekend as a result.<\/p>\n
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