TIA flight cancellations continue to leave passengers stranded | News

Tampa, FL - Days after the snowstorm slammed into the Northeast, passengers are still stranded at airports across the country.  

At Tampa International Airport, more than 70% of the flights going in and out after 6:00pm were either delayed or cancelled.

"I've never heard of this before," said Claire Wasser of New York.

It is a first for many travelers. Their lives standing still but it is not because the blizzard in the Northeast grounded planes. "You go thru security, smile and do whatever you are supposed to do, then we get to the gate and the plane is there but there's no crew. It is more than frustrating," said Bob Sosnowski of New York.

Jetblue told passengers the reason there was no crew to fly the plane sitting at the gate was because planes were rerouted due to the weather.

The Wassers and the Sosnowskis are New York families who were visiting relatives in the Bay area for the holidays. Both have been trying to get home since Monday after the storm hit and now they are in the same situation.

"It is Wednesday and flights are still backed up. We can't get out until January 3rd," said Wasser.

Already the delays and cancellations have been costly for travelers. "They don't understand the added expense, "said Sosnowski adding, "We had to extend the hotel for two days and the rental car for two days and we are not getting reimbursed for that."

However, they are being reimbursed for their Jetblue tickets that they can use toward flights on another airline, if they can find them.

While the Sosnowskis got lucky with other flights on Continental, the Wassers went a different route and rented a car.

"We've decided we may now drive back, right now," said Charlie Defraia, to which daughter River piped up, "Road trip!"

Passengers are not the only ones coughing up cash.  Analysts say the storm is costing the airline industry upwards of $150 million.