Father drives 1,100 miles from Simi Valley to Denver to pick up daughter stranded by Southwest

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) — Southwest Airways plans to renew operations Friday, however that was unacceptable for Vinay Patel of Simi Valley.

Patel’s daughter was stranded in Denver on Dec. 24. After two days of delays and cancellations, then being re-booked on a flight for New Yr’s Eve, Patel and his spouse received of their automotive and drove 1,100 miles by way of a winter storm to Colorado.

“We will see the change in her voice when she heard that we have been within the metropolis of Denver and quarter-hour away from her,” Patel mentioned. “You possibly can really feel the distinction within the pleasure of her voice.”

Patel mentioned he would do it once more if he needed to.

“If I’ve to, I’ve to. I can do it 100 occasions,” he mentioned.

The journey lasted over 15 hours within the automotive every method, 2,200 miles in whole and one evening in a Denver lodge to relaxation. Patel mentioned he could not sit again whereas his daughter was alone in a metropolis the place she did not know anybody and with no assure Southwest Airways would get their act collectively.

“They should be real looking to inform what’s occurring to allow them to plan,” Patel mentioned.

Patel mentioned he would’ve left a day earlier and his daughter ought to’ve been dwelling by now if Southwest had communicated higher.

He mentioned the worst half is how his daughter was stranded, and now they solely have a restricted variety of time collectively earlier than the vacations finish.

“Their logistics system sucks. They have been misrepresentative to the shoppers. Even after I left Columbus, they knew their system was screwed up and put us on these planes and received us all within the queue,” mentioned one Southwest buyer named Sylvia.

Southwest canceled roughly 300 flights at Southern California airports Thursday, and properly over 2,000 nationwide.

The airline has positioned loads of blame on the winter storm, however Southwest pilots and flight attendants say the cancellations don’t have anything to do with climate, however quite an outdated pc system.

Unions say they warned Southwest earlier than the meltdown, and the airline is now beneath scrutiny from lawmakers and federal regulators.

Though Southwest Airways plans to return to regular operations Friday, it is unlikely a number of misplaced baggage will make it into the arms of their homeowners by then.

“I simply really feel unhealthy for those that did not have household. I had household there who have been caught with out a means, with out a lodge,” mentioned Sandra Rome, who was additionally stranded in Denver for 4 days. “No less than I had household. No less than I had my medicine with me.”