A woman tells the story of how her five-hour head start at the Austin, Texas, airport turned into a series of unfortunate weather events and delays. Here’s what happened and why some say the experience should be blamed on her poor planning.
TikTok creator Amity (@amityiscreative) is an artist who was recently in Austin for a friend’s wedding. In a video posted earlier this week, she tells the story of trying to leave. “Today I’m going to be telling my Austin airport storytime,” she says.
She explains, “I’m currently in a hotel outside of the Austin airport. I did not know there was going to be the winter storm of a lifetime occurring today and tomorrow.”
Woman Arrives at Austin Airport Five Hours Early
Amity did account for the long lines at TSA due to the ongoing government shutdown impacting TSA staffing and weather concerns. “So I was like, you know what? I’m going to be proactive. I’m gonna go five hours early. My flight was at six; I get to the airport at 1 p.m.,” she says.
Amity reveals that she was catching a connecting flight in Orlando, Florida, that would take her home to Atlanta. Unfortunately, after she got to the airport, made it through TSA, and waited for several hours, she learned the first flight out to Orlando was delayed.
“I already started freaking out,” she says. “It was delayed to the point that it would arrive after my connecting flight had already left.”
A Long Travel Day at AUS Gets Even Longer
Calling Spirit didn’t work, Amity says, because the app connected her to what sounded like an AI agent. She then went up to the nearest Spirit counter and waited in line. When she got up to the counter, the attendant allegedly told her he “couldn’t be here anymore” and suggested she wait for the next flight.
After more time passed, Amity learned that her second flight from Orlando to Atlanta was cancelled, and her boarding pass wasn’t showing up on her Spirit app. She says she went up to another Spirit counter and found an agent to ask for advice. According to her, the agent suggested that Amity do whatever she can to get to Orlando and figure out a path to Atlanta from there.
So, Amity says she went to the gate where her delayed flight was supposed to eventually depart from and waited several more hours. Due to weather in Orlando, Amity says, they were told they couldn’t leave.
Eventually, a Spirit attendant told the passengers that they’d be taking off. They even go through the boarding process but are eventually told to deplane. The flight is eventually cancelled at 11:30 p.m. “So I was there for almost 12 full hours,” she says.
‘Final Leg of the Longest Travel Day of My Life’
Many people would’ve given up at this point, but Amity tells her viewers that she can’t because she has an important presentation on Tuesday that she can’t miss.
In a follow-up video, Amity attempted to rent a car and drive to Atlanta, but her plan was foiled when one company required a credit card and the others didn’t have any remaining vehicles. That led Amity to take a 22-hour Greyhound bus journey through Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
In the comments section of the videos, viewers gave Amity encouragement and feedback on her travel experience at the Austin airport. Several noted that Amity’s trip unfortunately coincided with South by Southwest and spring break travel crowds.
“Welcome to Austin,” said one viewer.
“So let me get this straight,” said a second person. “You came to Austin and decided to leave on LITERALLY the second-busiest travel day of the year. A) You chose Spirit. B) Weather happens. C) Fierce winds like we’ve had the last two days are actually dangerous.”
AllHipHop contacted Amity via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We will update this story if she responds.
@amityiscreative My Austin airport experience #noflight #austin #austinairport #airport #cancelled ♬ original sound – amityiscreative