Winter storm turns D.C.-to-Richmond flight into a 40-hour detour
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
My view for 48 hours that may or may not have cost me about $350, no hotel vouchers included. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
Sabrina here, back from being subjected to life in Northern Virginia for two days due to the snow.
Why it matters: It might be the longest a Richmonder has been stranded on a D.C. winter storm commute since Sen. Tim Kaine's 27-hour ordeal in 2022.
The big picture: I was among the thousands of people who had their flights canceled on Saturday, leaving me stuck near Dulles Airport, where the snow came up to my ankles.
- The Amtrak was also a no-go as service from D.C. to Richmond shut down, too.
- This meant a beautiful two-night Courtyard by Marriott stay in Herndon, where I came across the Texas State men's basketball team trying to get home after JMU defeated them Saturday afternoon.
- I resisted the urge to scream "GO DUKES."
Zoom in: My greatest entertainment was the view from my window, where I saw dozens of people try — and fail — to drive through the snow, prompting strangers to jump in and shovel out tires.
- I finally got home around 3pm on Monday, making it a roughly 40-hour delay.
The bottom line: NoVa has earned some brownie points from me after seeing how this storm brought out the best in people up there.
- But I'd choose to get stuck in Richmond over Dulles any day.
