SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Fog disrupts holiday travel at San Diego International Airport as 1.4 million passengers expected
Heavy fog blanketing Southern California is causing major disruptions for holiday travelers at San Diego International Airport, where officials expect up to 1.4 million passengers to pass through from now until January 5.
The dense fog has led to flight delays and cancellations, forcing some travelers to find alternative routes to reach their destinations. According to FlightAware's Misery Map, delays and cancellations are piling up nationwide, impacting flights coming in and out of San Diego.
"His flight circled the air for I guess 45 minutes. They got rerouted to LA. It was really bad. This fog is unnatural for this area," said Lily Kane.
Kane's brother-in-law had to rent an Uber and drive down from Los Angeles to San Diego after his flight was diverted.
Another traveler, Malia Kruger, experienced delays on the ground.
"They told us we needed a new plane and so we got onto a brand new plane and we taxied for about 20 minutes until we finally took off," Kruger said.
The fog has impacted the broader region beyond San Diego. Leonardo, a travel advisor with Volemos Travel, said Tijuana's airport was particularly affected.
"Over the last few days, Tijuana was basically shut down completely for like three days straight. The fog was very, very dense, and a lot of airplanes were not able to get into Tijuana or depart Tijuana," Leonardo said.
For travelers navigating busy holiday seasons and unpredictable weather, Leonardo recommends purchasing travel insurance when possible.
"Travel insurance is also very, very important. If you can afford it. It is very good to have it," Leonardo said.
He added that credit card companies also offer insurance options.
"They offer some travel insurance and travel protections in the case, for example, your baggage gets lost, you can get some compensation," Leonardo said.
With fog and heavy crowds continuing, experts remind travelers to remain patient and arrive at the airport early.
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