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Strangers Hire Van Together to Complete Trip After Flight Canceled

Passengers came together at Orlando airport in Florida on December 4 and hired a van to drive eight hours cross country after their flight to Knoxville, Tennessee, was canceled.

Footage by Alanah Story follows the adventure as she and 14 passengers pool their resources for an impromptu road trip. In the amusing video, each passenger regularly gives an update on the situation, as the 15 decide to beat the clock and drive to Knoxville.

Story told Storyful that the flight was delayed twice before it was eventually canceled. “Everyone on the flight went downstairs to figure out our options when my mom, Laura and Carlos came up with the idea to ride back together,” she said, referring to two of the other passengers. “Other people heard the idea and asked if they could join!”

The group rented a van and set off to Tennessee. Story said that the journey was “very noisy and uncomfortable” but a great experience.

“I am so thankful for the great group of people I got to experience this with, and that I got to be a part of such a heartwarming story,” she said.

She published the updates to her TikTok account where the videos went viral. Credit: Alanah Story via Storyful

Video Transcript

- [INAUDIBLE] you try to cancel the whole thing.

- Well, I'm at the airport and [AUDIO OUT] is canceled. So me and a bunch of strangers and my family, we decided to rent a 15

[LAUGHTER]

Passenger van and ride back eight hours to Tennessee. So meet the gang.

- Hi, my name is Lexi. And I'm possibly going to miss my finals. But it's fine.

- I'm Robin. And I'm here for my son's custody battle.

- My name is Q. And we're stuck.

- My name is Seth. And I got stuck here in Orlando after visiting some friends.

- Hi, I'm Adolph. I'm from Mexico, from Cancun. I came to hear, Orlando, Florida, to Knoxville, Tennessee. But the frontliner canceled our flight. So we rent a van all together and go on the trip.

- Hi, I'm Johan. I'm from Mexico. And they canceled our flight here and Orlando. So we are going on a bus.

- Hi, I'm Amy. I'm from Cozumel Mexico. And I'm up here trying to get my friend that's moving to Mexico. And Frontier screwed us over, canceled our flight. We're trying to get back. So we're going to do cars, trucks, planes, and automobiles. We're going to get ourselves where we got to go to tonight.

- Hey, Laura, Carlos, Mikaela.

- They cancel our flight. But you know, I don't argue. So we're just renting a van.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

- Visit University of Tennessee. Go Bulls!

- Woo.

- Whoa.

- I'm the farm babe from Florida. And I'm the keynote Speaker in Knoxville on Tuesday. So we're going to go. And I'm going to make my speech.

- I'm Renee. I came for a good time.

- Hi, my name is Kelly Young. And we are having a road trip to Knoxville for 10 hours, can't wait.

- Big shout out to Hertz for helping us out. Go Hertz.

- [INAUDIBLE].

- All right, we're three hours into our impromptu road trip. We are now in Georgia. And so I'm going to let everybody give their updates. I'm tired, but yeah.

- So I'm number one. I'm the driver. I am not tired. I'm ready to go another five hours.

- I'm number two. I don't know what that means. But that means I get to sit-in the passenger seat. So I'm OK with that.

- I'm number five. Number 3 and 4 don't want to talk. We don't know what's going on.

- [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH].

- OK, and what number am I? Number 7, and 8? She's still waiting to get to UT.

- I'm really tired. I kind of wish I was in my bed but UT.

- They told me we're stopping at the liquor store.

- I just like snacks.

[LAUGHTER]

- They're definitely Russian spies.

- I'm the one that dies first.

- Y'all know I'm dying first.

- Let's tell everybody where--

- It's 8:30 in the morning, and we just made it to Knoxville. So let's wrap this story up, OK? This is my mom Renee, my godmother. And those are the only two people that I knew.

- Hey, guys. I'm number one, Carlos the driver. But you know, I'm really grateful to all these guys right here because my baby girl had her heart set out to make this appointment for the University of Tennessee. And she's disappointed.

- Go bulls.

- But we made our 10 AM appointment all because of a community that got together. And to the University, this is the level of commitment that you're going to get from my family.

- I'm Michelle, the farm babe, lucky number 13. And I learned that the kidnappers-- what is it? Mexican, German, Russian, spies are going to the same conferences me. And because we road tripped, I'm not going to miss the keynote.

- This is number two checking in. And honestly, I tried to nap a good bit of that. But I'd like to think that I was good moral support for Carlos. So we're going to go with that. We made it to Knoxville. We're here, and I might not even be late for work. So.

- Hey guys, I'm number 5. And thanks to all these amazing people that were on this road trip, I'm here right now with my good friend. We're going to go to the closing her house. We're going to be on time. And then we're heading-- because she's moving to Mexico. And we are doing that tonight. So I got another 20 to 30 hours of drive time in front of me. And I got to go, bye.

- Hi, this is Kayla and my mother, Laura the driver, my fiancee. And so excited that I'm still able to make my college tour. And I'm just so excited.

- Yeah me too.

- Love you guys. This is awesome. Thank you to everybody.

- Yes, good morning. And we say have a safe trip here. But sorry, I am low in English. I'm a German.

[LAUGHTER]

- [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]. We thank God for the trip.