Delayed passengers tell their story: Sioux Falls Regional Airport

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - When winter weather strikes, travelers from the Midwest know delays can be in the forecast.

But passengers on a Delta flight leaving the Sioux Falls airport never suspected their early morning Wednesday flight would be delayed 8 hours.

Imagine, you are about to embark on a tropical Christmas getaway only to get stuck on the tarmac.

As people sat powerless on the runway, many of their travel plans, were were up in the air.

“We're really exhausted it’s been a long, long day,” delayed passenger Lance Park sighed.

The Parks finally landed in Atlanta late Wednesday afternoon after a lengthy day traveling.

They were among the passengers at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport who had their holiday plans frozen after their flight was delayed 8 hours.

Many took to Facebook during the delay to express their frustration.

But the people we talked to say, the passengers stayed in good spirits.

“Anybody that was on that flight that isn't Midwesterner, doesn't know it now, but they are a Midwesterner at heart. Everybody on the flight was so fantastic. The children on the plane, I can't say enough good things about them. We didn't have one meltdown. Everyone was so calm,” Katy Abbott explained.

Delta Airlines released a statement saying that the plane was first delayed due to a mechanical problem.

“First thing that comes and says got a little bit of a hydraulic fluid problem he said his little bit low we need to get it tapped off,” Parks remembered.

But after it was fixed, it still didn’t leave for many hours.

The spokesperson for the airline explained that was due to the fact that the plane was last in line to de-ice.

Finally after several long hours of waiting the plane took off.

The Parks say they can't wait to get to their destination and they were only delayed one day.

According to Delta Airlines, they didn't violate any laws, because they allowed the passengers to choose to leave and take another flight, and allowed passengers to get off the plane twice.

The U.S. Department of Transportation say at this point, they have not received any complaints regarding this delay.

Delta Airlines and the Sioux Falls Regional Airport have both told us they are working together to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

According to the airport's executive director, it is the airlines responsibility to de-ice planes.

Story and video:  http://www.ksfy.com