KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Many travelers are still stuck in cities across the nation after Southwest Airlines canceled most of its flights.
Some Kansas State football fans who had plans to head to the Sugar Bowl found themselves a part of this group but found alternative ways to make sure they caught their favorite team in action.
“I love K-State because they are the greatest team of all time,” said George Frazier, a third-grader and avid K-State football fan.
However, his wish to see them play at the Sugar Bowl didn’t come true this Christmas.
“It was our Christmas present, and that’s what we were looking forward to for a long time,” George said.
Frazier and his parents, who are graduates of K-State, found themselves stuck at home due to cancellations from Southwest.
“We were going to go on a flight, but the day before we were going to go, we heard there were issues with Southwest,” George said. “So the next day, we were hoping it didn’t get canceled, but it got canceled.”
Grady Trumble, another K-State graduate, of Wichita, was looking forward to the game as well.
“I graduated from K-State back in 2001,” Trumble said. “Been a big football fan, had season tickets since about '89, so [I] really wanted to make it to this one.”
Trumble was looking forward to attending the game with his brother, who he had not seen in about three years. Trumble even went the extra mile to fly from Oklahoma City just to make the game.
Unfortunately, Trumble received texts and emails from Southwest that his flight was at a standstill.
“I got one [text message] about four in the morning, telling me that my connecting flight from Houston to New Orleans was canceled," he said. "And then a few hours later, got one turned on me that Oklahoma City to Houston had been canceled."
Trumble was thankful he was at least able to rent a car.
“I got a car and plan to leave this evening," Trumble said. "I was supposed to fly out tomorrow to get there to my brother when we were planning to. I’m going to need to leave tonight, but they (Southwest) are going to reimburse me for the car and the hotel and any type of meal expenses that I’m going to incur on the way down.”
As for the Frazier family, they are taking a different route to watch their favorite team.
“I wouldn’t want to drive, driving would be the worst thing ever, so I am just going to watch the game at my house,” George said.
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