After airline outage mess, SLC airport travelers finally make it home

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City International Airport travelers were still dealing with the aftermath from a crippling computer outage Friday night, more than 24 hours after the outage first began causing flight delays and cancellations. 

According to statistics tracked and published by Flight Aware, 102 flights either arriving to or departing from Salt Lake City were cancelled over the course of Friday, and another 350 flights were delayed. 

A global Microsoft outage was to blame for grounding flights, leaving travelers without any options. 

Delays, cancellations last into weekend

Delta Airlines had most of Salt Lake’s cancellations and delays, saying in a statement that the delays and cancellations could continue through the weekend. 

By early Friday evening, many fliers who landed at Salt Lake International had spent all day, even starting overnight into the morning, trying to get to the Beehive State. 

Anthony Carroll stepped outside into the passenger pickup area, reaching the final step of his journey. He said he spent about 26 hours when all was said in done in different airports across the country. 

He never made it onto a flight from Connecticut to Atlanta because it was delayed, he said, instead flying through Detroit. 

“Then now I’m here, after the horrible time,” he said. 

Carroll couldn’t wait for his husband — who promised to bring their dog — to pick him up and take him home. 

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Joan Hawkins still had to make the trek to Malad, Idaho after she landed following a visit to see her daughter. Her Frontier flight from Cleveland was cancelled Thursday evening, so Hawkins rebooked with Delta Friday morning. 

“Of course, got to the airport early this morning, and found out that we weren’t going anywhere,” she said.

Families anxiously wait

As fliers eventually found a way back, loved ones anxiously awaited inside the welcome area by the terminal exit doors for delayed travelers. 

“My heart is beating so fast,” Ranae Fisher said, standing with her family looking at the doors with anticipation. 

Fisher’s daughter, Adalyn Fisher, was supposed to return home from her mission in Pittsburgh for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints earlier Friday afternoon. 

But the outage delayed the flight out of Pittsburgh, and then the connecting flight from Denver. 

“We kept watching, and then it pushed back again another half hour, and then another half hour,” Ranae Fisher said. 

Several family members, unaware of the delays, showed up to the airport at the original arrival time after having driven down from Hooper in Weber County. They patiently waited a few hours, wondering if their missionary would make it back at all. 

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‘Best feeling in the world’

Staying up to date on Sister Fisher’s flight status, the family watched the arrivals board. 

“You’re like, ‘Oh my heck, we waited this long,’ you know? ‘Can’t you just get here?” Ranae Fisher said. 

The plane arrived, the board displaying, “At Gate.” Everyone got in position with posters and signs, ready for the moment Adalyn walked through the doors. 

They cheered as Adalyn excitedly appeared, walking up to her mom for a huge hug and with tears of happiness. 

After 18 months — plus three extra flight delay hours from a global event that halted everything — Adalyn was finally back. 

“I don’t know if the delay helped with the nerves, or made it worse,” Adalyn Fisher said. 

Ranae Fisher said it was a “wild and crazy day” having to adjust with the weird world situation, but it was worth it. 

“It’s awesome,” Ranae Fisher said, standing next to her daughter, beaming. “It’s the best feeling in the world, to have her come home.”