Arctic blast: Canceled, delayed flights continue Christmas travel chaos

ATLANTA - Last-minute holiday travelers are at the mercy of Mother Nature as that powerful winter storm continues to cause problems on the roads and in the air.

With the Christmas countdown now close to zero, it is the race to get away for the holiday.

More than 1,000 flights were either delayed or canceled in or out of Atlanta on Friday, according to flightaware.com.

Crushing cold, mixed with a monster winter storm was messing up travel plans as millions are on the move.

The Lombardi Family is in the midst of a travel nightmare. They tried to fly from Ohio to Florida Thursday but got stuck in Nashville overnight after a cancelation.

"She slept on a suitcase, I slept partially at the Dollar Rental Car desk," said Connor Lombardi.

With no guarantees for a flight from Tennessee, the family drove to Atlanta Friday and booked a flight to Fort Lauderdale.

"We were supposed to fly out tomorrow, but we flew out on Thursday to try and beat the blizzard, but we're just caught up in it," said Elizabeth Lombardi.

The travel trouble this week quickly made this the Christmas of cancelations and delays.

"Just as we pulled up, we got a text alert that the flight was delayed an hour, then it turned into two hours, and ultimately it turned into three hours," said Tricia Nakleh.

While not every flight at ATL was impacted, many were especially to and from the Northeast and Midwest.

This Arctic blast coincided with Christmas travel and is ruining or delaying plans.

"I never have any issues flying here, we normally come in the summertime when there's no crazy weather happening, but you always take a chance when you're flying in the wintertime," Nakleh said.

Despite the trouble and amid the hustle at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, a little bit of calm and a reminder of the season.

As travelers head home or head out for the holiday.

For many, these trips are a chance to reconnect with loved ones.

"I'm glad to be off the plane, glad to be with my family for the holidays," Nakleh said. "So, it's all worth it in the end."