The mail is delayed. Travelers are stuck in airports for hours. Planes are iced over, and interstates are stalled. Transportation is frozen like the season. For many areas of the country, the winter is bringing on unusually long and cold storms. No matter how prepared experts, travellers and transportation companies get, there’s just not a lot anyone can do about a bad winter storm.
The key to a transportation breakdown is to stay calm and relaxed. As a nation, Americans expect immediate gratification from the world around them. This includes an unreasonable expectation from Mother Nature. Traveling can’t be avoided in some cases, but neither can the weather. To actually believe that transportation experts don’t care whether someone gets stuck on a tarmac is pretty silly. Accept it and be patient.
Also be prepared. Have snacks in your carry on. Dress in comfortable, warm clothes. Check the weather report and the transportation reports before you leave for your trip. If the situation surprises you, that’s your fault. Safety always comes first for airlines. Part of the daily winter maintenance is making sure that a plane has been deiced and checked over. Airport crews do everything they can to clear runways. However, safety means that sometimes, everyone just has to stop and wait it out.
Be kind and offer gratitude to the hard working people in the transportation business. They are under a tremendous amount of stress to get you where you need to go in the winter storm. They are also taxed with guaranteeing your safety. You may find that a simple, “thank you,” will get you the service you expect once the plane is cleared to fly. Keep that in mind when traveling in the winter.