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Two blind women say they became only passengers on Southwest flight after airline ‘forgot about’ them

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Two blind women say they became only passengers on Southwest flight after airline ‘forgot about’ them


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Two blind women from Florida recently discovered they were the only passengers aboard their Southwest Airlines flight from New Orleans to Orlando, saying the company needs to improve how it communicates with passengers who have disabilities.

Sherri Brun and Camille Tate were traveling together on Southwest Flight 2637, scheduled to depart New Orleans on July 14. Following a nearly five-hour delay, the two friends finally boarded their flight, only to discover they were the only two people on the plane, FOX 35 reported.

TERRIFIED PASSENGERS ‘FLEW OUT OF THEIR SEATS’ DURING DRAMATIC SOUTHWEST NOSEDIVE TO AVOID MID-AIR CRASH

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“You’re the only two people on this flight because they forgot about you,” Brun said the two women were told.

Two blind women from Florida recently discovered they were the only passengers aboard their Southwest Airlines flight from New Orleans to Orlando. (FOX 35)

Brun and Tate said they had waited by their assigned gate, checking Southwest’s app for updates. However, unbeknownst to them, nearly all the other passengers had been rebooked on a separate Southwest flight to Orlando that departed earlier from a nearby gate, FOX 35 reported.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines must provide prompt and effective communication for passengers with visual impairments, especially during delays or rebookings and boarding changes a federal law under the Air Carrier Access Act.

Brun and Tate said that requirement was far from met. “Nobody said a word to us about another flight,” Brun said. “We were just waiting at the gate, checking the app, like everyone else.”

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MOM PULLS OFF SNEAKY AIRLINE SEAT HACK THAT HAS OTHER TRAVELERS IN DISBELIEF

Travelers make their way through Orlando International Airport during the busy Labor Day holiday weekend in Orlando.

Travelers make their way through Orlando International Airport on September 2, 2023. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“There needs to be some improvement in how they communicate with their passengers, especially those that have disabilities,” Tate said.

“We have seen inaccurate accounts that suggest we ‘forgot’ the two customers, or that we sent a plane back to get them,” a Southwest spokesperson told Fox News Digital in an email. “Neither of these is the case. … The Customers were scheduled on Flight 2637. Although it ran almost five hours late that day, it remained their same flight number throughout.”

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A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft

The airline offered each of the women a $100 travel voucher as compensation for the delay.  (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

Southwest said it offered each of the women a $100 travel voucher as compensation for the delay.

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“We apologize for the inconvenience,” Southwest told Fox News Digital. “Southwest is always looking for ways to improve our customers’ travel experiences, and we’re active in the airline industry in sharing best practices about how to best accommodate Passengers with disabilities.”



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Dallas, TX

Dallas Stars to host NHL’s 2027 Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium

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Dallas Stars to host NHL’s 2027 Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium


The NHL is heading to Jerry World to see if outdoor hockey can get even bigger in Texas.

The Dallas Stars will host the 2027 Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium on Feb. 20 of that year against an opponent to be named at a later date. The announcement was made Monday night before the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Arizona Cardinals.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be having a game here hosted by the Dallas Stars in this amazing, amazing stadium,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told ESPN, seated alongside Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the sidelines.

The smashing success of the 2020 Winter Classic prompted the NHL to bring another outdoor game back to Texas. The Stars defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 in front of 85,630 fans at the Cotton Bowl in that event – the third-largest crowd ever to take in an NHL game.

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The league record is the 105,491 fans the NHL drew for the 2014 Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The capacity at AT&T Stadium could exceed 100,000 fans depending on ticket demand and how much of the venue’s standing areas are used.

“Five years ago, the 2020 NHL Winter Classic was a celebration of the growth and success of hockey in the Lone Star State, which was the third-highest attended outdoor game in league history,” said Stars owner Tom Gagliardi. “We have no doubt that our upcoming Stadium Series game will be met with the same enthusiasm and passion from our fan base.”

The Stars are coming off three consecutive trips to the Western Conference Final and are off to a 6-3-3 start this season.

While the opponent for the Stadium Series game hasn’t yet been confirmed, Bettman hinted it could be a Central Division rival.

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“I’m not prepared to tell you who the opponent is yet,” Bettman told reporters Monday. “It’ll be appropriate, it’ll be good. It’ll be a team that the fans will have an interest in seeing the Stars play.

“We’ll announce that at a later date.”

The Stadium Series game is scheduled to be broadcast on ABC in prime time.



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Atlanta, GA

Flight delays, cancellations continue to pile up at Atlanta airport during government shutdown

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Flight delays, cancellations continue to pile up at Atlanta airport during government shutdown


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Flight delays and cancellations continue to pile up at the world’s busiest airport.

There were at least 128 reported on Monday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

It prompted travelers to sound off about the government shutdown, which is to blame.

“So far, I haven’t experienced any personal delays, but anybody that works should get paid, and the frustration that these people must have has to be astronomic. How do you support your families, how do you buy groceries and that what not,” traveler John Nichols said.

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According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a surge in air traffic controllers calling out last Friday strained staffing at many airports and led to flight delays nationwide.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy discussed the issue during a nationally televised interview.

“I think it’s only going to get worse,” Duffy said. “We have controllers who – some of them are new controllers. We have trainee controllers who are very helpful in the tower. They don’t make a lot of money.”

Duffy said some controllers have called in sick in protest, while others are taking time off to work other jobs while not getting paid.

Atlanta News First spoke with two flight attendants on Monday about the ongoing issue.

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“How long is it fair to expect them to show up at a job that they’re not getting paid for? How long is it reasonable for them to start looking for compensation elsewhere? And I think that it’s something that we are feeling as air crew every single day,” Delta flight attendant Kara Wargo said.

RELATED COVERAGE: Some Delta flight attendants once again pushing to unionize

“What’s happening right now must stop,” said Keturah Johnson, vice president of the Association of Flight Attendants International. “And for those people who are frustrated when they’re waiting in line in TSA, you know what, call your congresspeople.”

MORE COVERAGE:

Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded in November

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Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded as metro Atlanta families still concerned

Sen. Warnock tours community market, calls on Republicans to reopen government

Open enrollment begins in Georgia amid uncertainty over ACA tax credits



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Augusta, GA

Augusta Canal towpath is partially reopening

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Augusta Canal towpath is partially reopening


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Mayor Garnett L. Johnson on Monday announced the partial reopening of the Augusta Canal towpath.

The announcement came in a news conference at the Savannah Rapids Pavilion.

The reopening is from the headgates to the Interstate 20 bridge.

The route has been closed since Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27, 2024, left it covered in debris and full of hazards.

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The Augusta Utilities Department, in coordination with the Augusta Canal Authority, has made enough repairs to safely reopen a section of the towpath while additional restoration and safety improvements continue along other areas.

“The Canal towpath for about a mile and a half is reopened. We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy it safely. There is still more work to be done, but certainly enjoy it safely with more work to be done,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy the reopened section while observing all posted safety measures:

  • Towpath partially open: Access is limited to designated areas.
  • Stay behind safety barriers: Do not cross or move restricted zones.
  • Obey all signage: Posted notices are in place to ensure public safety and allow maintenance to continue efficiently.

Crews will continue to monitor the area to ensure safe conditions for public use.

Officials aim to get the rest of the route open by the end of the second quarter of 2026.



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