Staff shortages at airlines, weather delays, and a spike in holiday travel have left many travelers struggling to take long-overdue vacations and make visits home. The Onion asked travelers how they felt about the nationwide delays, and this is what they said.
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/b5b0480f1069144a8fe3862d1074a40e.jpg)
Charles Lopez (TV Executive)
“It’s keeping me away from my family, and that is a beautiful thing.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/48cae2e95095a1d76c50dc79ff178a4b.jpg)
Tina Chen (Flight Attendant)
“Hell yeah! Two more craaaazy nights in Boise, baby!!”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/3a4b245bb33edabca0fc6c66bd6c9793.jpg)
Keena Woodruff (Best Buy Employee)
“I firmly believe that if you paid for a flight, you are entitled to take that flight, plane or no plane.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/d5b4c76a2570a688cc817899cf97ff71.jpg)
Stan Peltier (Accountant)
“I know there’s not much anyone can do about it, but it still felt good to make a gate agent cry.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2bcbf94a01fd9db6ba137764e26ff78f.jpg)
Sara Eastman (Student)
“I love that it counts as an attempt to visit my parents but without me having to actually see them.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/af9ea9e69d0b86b825f56d1da2e0f40a.jpg)
German Valero (Banker)
“I guess we’ll all have to settle for riding atop giant birds instead.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/eb3b07bcb5f0270ad50e7901491da837.jpg)
Mary Kekich (Registered Nurse)
“Who knew that underpaid, overworked skeleton crews could not live up to the endless promises of soulless corporations?”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/aec97c9617b66d52862bffd165a9ef5f.jpg)
Ivan French (Courier)
“Never getting to your destination is just part of traveling.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/c2660571d20575d2c43ac48a328f3973.jpg)
Danny Frey (Hertz Customer Service Representative)
“Just wanted to let you know we’re out of rental cars too.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/80fdf0fe6cb338dc6c91e3a59ad24edf.jpg)
Misty Blanca (Court Reporter)
“When you factor in all the packing and all the waiting, I can probably walk just as quickly as a plane can fly.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/9166d5cd4a2fbde8c16b8ab6d45c8017.jpg)
Federico Lopez (UX Designer)
“That’s okay. I’m sure my grandmother can wait another day or two to die.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2893cd6111564af3c42913175d016486.jpg)
Darla Kemp (Publicist)
“It’s disappointing, because ever since 9/11, air travel has been entirely delightful and stress-free.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/df5a8103bd669d39a5e3791a709d0daf.jpg)
West Bundley (Foreman)
“I’m a simple man: As long as I have my knapsack and my trusty harmonica, I’ll still be able to ride the rails all the way to Reno.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/04d6a8ce2638d59e013d754828ebe615.jpg)
Marianne Southpointe (Psychiatrist)
“Given the understaffing issue, I think this is warranted. I wouldn’t feel safe having three, rather than four, flight attendants serving in-flight beverages.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/c1ba81ab059685e3ebc8ef9c221c9ad1.jpg)
Lucas Herrera (Entrepreneur)
“I guess I’ll have to cause a scene onboard something else.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/85035080a0549d09eeada255cdf78ced.jpg)
Thomas Jackson (Doctor)
“I mainly only book flights for the chance to hang out in airport Burger Kings, so I don’t really mind that much.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/4168b323df9de93a5a3dc3ff893f1e05.jpg)
Clarence Jones (Dermatologist)
“I can’t stand the thought of my suitcase enjoying Sacramento without me.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/8bbd22ff8e5fd6a907883a75b0576018.jpg)
Ulma Sanderson (Carpenter)
“If the free market doesn’t want me visiting Cedar Rapids, then it wasn’t meant to be.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/30ca5df7b2980634bd4d3c05010cf4c9.jpg)
Bianca Hicks (Garden Designer)
“My friends told me I’d get my heart broken if I trusted Delta Air Lines again.”
![The Onion](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/58051f793a11be10c00bcf3e0f4bbcad.jpg)
Mark Stevenson (Electrician)
“Like most Americans, I have nothing to do and nowhere to go, so I’m not sure what the problem is.”