DENVER — High winds delayed more than 1,000 flights in and out of Denver International Airport Thursday, leaving travelers stranded during one of the busiest periods of spring break travel.
One look at the flight boards made the situation clear.
"Delayed, canceled, delayed, delayed, a lot of yellow," traveler Maggie Dunn said.
On Thursday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop, which then became a ground delay.
With little to do but wait, some passengers tried to make the best of the situation.
"I'm going through some work emails, but it is kind of nice because I'm usually rushing through the airport, so I have some time to just take my time," traveler Rebecca Harr said.
Harr was trying to make her way to the East Coast, though she was not looking forward to the turbulent conditions once cleared for takeoff.
"I'm not really looking forward to taking off with the wind going, but it's a no field trip, have to get there," Harr said.
For some travelers, the wait was not an option.
Dunn and fellow traveler Cam Lang saw their flight canceled altogether and decided to drive to their final destination instead.
"Well, we usually have a deck of cards," Dunn laughed.
Despite the frustration, the pair understood the reasoning behind the disruptions.
"It's out of our hands and control, and the airlines are trying to be safe, so we respect that," Lang said.
With high winds expected to continue into Friday and the airport bracing for one of its busiest days of spring break travel, Dunn shared some simple advice for fellow passengers.
"Bring something to pass the time. Yeah, a good book. Some magazines," Dunn said.
Traveler Gerald Kissinger echoed that sentiment.
"Just be patient. You know that you're going to get there. Have patience," Kissinger said.
Harr added that flexibility is key when navigating travel disruptions.
"I think it can be a very frustrating situation," she said. But, I mean, at this point, everyone should know it and should accept it and kind of just try to slot some extra time in and be flexible."
