Delays, freezing fog and long lines: Post-Thanksgiving travel woes giving Redmond flyers a headache

(Update: Adding video, comments from travelers and airport officials)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ)– What was first reported as an empty terminal at times and easy travel just before Thanksgiving has now turned into a nightmare for many travelers arriving back at Redmond Airport from their trips.

“There was a plane that had been diverted from Medford because of fog and that was waiting to get into a gate. And then they were waiting for another plane in front of them that was having mechanical issues,” Ali Rexrode said Tuesday.

Rexrode and her family were able to make it back to Central Oregon after spending Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, but not without flight issues. She said she was stuck on her plane for 90 minutes waiting for a gate to open.

“We parked the plane and we just sat and waited, and I talked to one of the flight attendants and he goes, ‘They told us there’s only four people working at the airport right now.'”

It is a story all too common for many travelers this holiday season. 

Holiday travelers arriving and departing from the Redmond Municipal Airport have faced major frustrations after Thanksgiving, including winter weather and technical issues out of Seattle.

NewsChannel 21 has received several emails from travelers expressing frustration over weather delays, and what appears to be staffing issues.

Many reported having to stay on their plane for up to two hours just to get to an available gate, and others said the recent freezing fog hitting the area has delayed or canceled their flights.

A projected 100,000 travelers arrived in Redmond over the past month.

Airport Director Zachary Bass says the bad weather caused numerous problems.

“When there’s a delay in weather, when we see this kind of issue, especially for a few days, we’re just going to see delays kind of across the board,” Bass said Tuesday. “The last two days, we’ve had some issues with fog, which affects the visibility out on the runway, which creates an issue for the pilots in the aircraft to land especially.”

Other travelers reported not being able to deplane due to a lack of open gates and crew — sometimes waiting up to two hours. Bass says those delays are determined by the airlines.

“A lot of the aircraft had to come in simultaneously, which backs up those aircraft and our ground handlers,” he said. “It just takes longer for them to work the plane and get those individuals and their bags off the aircraft.”

You can check the latest scheduled flight arrivals and departures at https://flyrdm.com/ – but as always, the airport urges you to check with the airline for the latest details.