BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT -
A hub of activity on most weekdays -- but step inside the Burlington International Airport and its anything but business as usual the day after Sandy. The big board says it all.
"We've got four departures today and four arrivals -- two to Chicago and two to Detroit. Normally there's about 30 departures and 31 arrivals in a day," said the airport's Kelly Colling.
Everything else to New York -- canceled, New Jersey -- canceled, and Philadelphia -- canceled. Those are the bulk of flights out of Burlington on a given day and just a small piece of the ripple effect now being felt around the world, after Sandy's fury shut down those major hubs in the Northeast.
But if you're heading west you're in luck.
"Very relieved to head west and at the moment it looks like my flight is going to leave, but one still never knows until you're in the air and on the way, so I'm still kind of crossing my fingers and hoping we get out okay," said Brian Barnett from Houston.
Down the road at Milne Travel, Scott Milne said agents have been busy re-routing clients since last week. Those travelers who planned ahead may be okay, but some are now stranded.
"In a lot of cases, just working to get people home and working with our relationships with airlines, looking at different things to get people home because now the scramble is on -- the trickle down -- exactly as you said. There's not that many seats left coming back when things open up and try to get on those flights and get home," he said.
Milne said some people are flying into Canada, while others are renting cars for a one-way road trip. And if insured -- for about 5% of a trip's cost -- those additional expenses will be covered.
