Disillusionment and disappointment reigned at the airport in Orlando, Florida. Dozens of passengers were waiting there for their flight to Knoxville, Tennessee. But the connection was canceled and the passengers were stuck. Now I had to improvise. So some of the passengers decided to take the journey into their own hands.
A total of 13 people got together at the airport and rented a large van with which they wanted to cover the more than 1000-kilometer route between the two cities. 13 people, most of whom had never met in their lives. Mikayla Puckering, 17, who was traveling with her mother and her partner, told CNN, “When they first told me about this, I thought they were crazy. I said, ‘You guys really want to get in with a bunch of strangers get in that van?'”
But that’s how it happened. The group posted updates from their adventure via TikTok, which were followed by a few hundred users on the social media platform. Alanah Story, who was also stuck with her family, released a video from the airport in which everyone involved introduced themselves. The clip has now been viewed nearly four million times.
The group was a mixed bag, but they all had one thing in common: They urgently needed to be in Knoxville the next morning and couldn’t wait for a later flight. A woman was supposed to give a talk at a conference, another was traveling to a custody trial, Mikayla Puckering had an appointment at the university. In order to make it in time, the “wild 13” set out on their own.
It is no longer possible to trace exactly who came up with the idea. But more and more of the stranded passengers joined her. “The vibe was really good, it was just normal people who wanted to go home or had things to take care of,” a source told CNN.
After a ten-hour trip, the squad made it safely to Knoxville. “The worst part was the uncomfortable van,” said influencer Michelle Miller, who was also on board. “It was very tight with the luggage, but we managed it.” All in all, the spontaneous trip was great fun and a special experience for everyone. “We’re all friends now and keep in touch,” Miller explained.
Sources: CNN / “Bored Panda” / Alanah Story on TikTok
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