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American Airlines Passengers Stranded Across the Nation

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RALEIGH — About one-fourth of American Airlines pilots called in sick Saturday , leaving planes grounded and passengers stranded for the ninth day in a row.

Hundred of flights across the nation were cancelled, leaving passengers having to find another way to travel over the long President's Day weekend.

The cancelled flights included some from Raleigh to Dallas and to Chicago.

Some passengers at RDU were delayed for a few hours.

"I was transferred to a 10:00 flight today," said American Airlines passenger Rasmus Carlsson. "When I got here, that was cancelled as well. So I'm on the 3 p.m. flight to Newark and then back home."

Some travelers arrived at RDU to learn they are not going anywhere. Others have had better luck.

"We've been checking the Internet, but we saw this morning that it was still a go, so we came on out here," said another passenger, Judy Brock. "The porter said we might be the only ones going today."

American Airlines is juggling passengers and flights the best they can. They've put some of their passengers on other airlines.

"I had an 8:20 flight from Miami and Raleigh, and it was cancelled, so they re-routed my flight through Atlanta, and I had to take Delta," said J. C. Jaramillo.

Jaramillo arrived a day late for a business trip. Now he's worried about getting home.

"I double booked a flight on another airline, so I have another reservation just in case," he said.

American Airlines and the pilots' union, Allied Pilots Association, were not even talking Saturday. The airline doesn't know when the pilots will return to work. They've cancelled another 200 flights on Sunday.

Passengers booked on an American Airlines flight should call1-800- 433- 7300to make sure their fight is leaving the ground.

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