Hannah MacLaughlin, freshman, ensnared in Northeastern Arctic vortex

Flights in and out of Portland International Airport have been cancelled and delayed due to the record breaking Arctic vortex which is causing sub-zero temperatures and whiteout blizzard conditions. Hannah MacLaughlin, freshman, and her family have fallen victim to the arctic squall, causing her to miss the first day of school in 2014.

Her flight from Middleburg, Virg. is scheduled for Thursday, but MacLaughlin fears they may be delayed.

“I do have fears my [Thursday] flight will be cancelled,” MacLaughlin said.  “It could get cancelled if the plane is trapped in the Midwest.”

MacLaughlin originally had a layover in Chicago, yet through a chain of events, the flight to Chicago was cancelled.  She spent the majority of her break in Middleburg, where temperatures plunged to 15 degrees. She is frustrated over her inability to attend school when it opened yesterday and emailed her teachers to let them know of her circumstances.

“We are staying here so long because we didn’t have the money to fly anywhere other than Chicago, and then take a flight from there,” MacLaughlin said.  “It would be better if we could just get a flight elsewhere.”

MacLaughlin advises others from competing for seats on last-minute flights, as her father waited eight hours for the last seat on a flight out of Virginia. This departure was canceled as well.