Strangers work together to get home for Christmas

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — More than 6,000 flights have already been canceled across the nation according to Flight Aware, a flight tracking site.

Thursday was the busiest day for Christmas travels. Although, with the winter storm in the Midstate in the evening, several people were stuck at the airport overnight.

On Friday, more than 80 flights flying out of Nashville were canceled. There were also been more than 75 cancelations for flights heading into Nashville. Some people stayed up all night while being stranded at BNA.

“We need a Christmas miracle,” Gina Schepers said. Her family is traveling to Florida for a Christmas cruise.

Many travelers like Sydney Kokinis have been traveling for two days. She’s trying to get back home to Indiana after studying abroad.

“Just to see my family. I haven’t seen them in 4 months and I would love to give everyone a big hug and give them the gifts from Seoul. That’s my hope and that everyone here gets home safely,” Kokinis said.

She made it to Indianapolis, but when the pilot tried to land the winds were too strong. The pilot had to turn the plane around and land in Nashville instead.

“I was like ‘No,’” Kokinis yelled. “Then 30 minutes later the pilot said. ‘We are going to Nashville!’”

Now Kokinis, and a group of people she met on the plane, are working together to get back to Indiana in time for Christmas. The group of strangers all chipped in for a rental car and are driving each other home. Even though they met on the plane, they acted like long-time friends. Kokinis says it’s from the bond they made during the hectic travel day.

“We are going to road trip it. Probably stop at Mcdonald’s first and get some coffee,” Kokinis said while talking to her new airport friends.

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