We’ve all been there. Whether due to a canceled/delayed flight, car trouble or a number of other unforeseen circumstances, travel plans fall through.
Many of us have also had an opportunity (or two) to share our personal opinions on social media. Not all of them positive. As the mother of a teen daughter, I have to admit our household has had some rather heated discussions on the matter. Perhaps on more than one occasion.
But this story is something different. It’s a story about canceled flights and social media that brought out the best in people. A real-life tale about strangers that came together with a common goal, then posted about it and, it seems, has become one of the feel-good stories of the season.
In case you missed it, a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Knoxville was canceled. Not uncommon in 2022. Except this time, for 13 strangers, seemingly stranded in Orlando International Airport, nothing was standing in the way of them reaching their common destination by the following morning.
All with unique reasons, each personal and important in different ways, for reaching their destination, they rented a van and drove the 660 miles … through the night.
What do you do to make the time go by when you’re driving all night with two family members and 10 strangers? You post TikTok videos about your experience, of course. From beginning to end, Alanah Story recorded their trip, getting everyone involved.
Along the way, they picked up thousands of followers – people watching and waiting for updates on their trip. The videos have since garnered hundreds of thousands of views, with fan favorites (like Alanah’s mother, Renee) called out in the comments.
Sure, there were some less-than-stellar moments. Like having to stop for bathroom breaks for someone when others simply wanted to press on. Or the uncomfortable, crowded cargo van that, while great for its intended purpose (cargo), is not the most comfortable 8+ hour ride for 13 humans PLUS luggage.
But when all was said and done, everyone made it to their intended destination. The college hopeful made her campus visit. The single mom made it to her custody hearing. The world travelers (including Germany and Mexico) and keynote speaker made their conference.
And ALL have an adventure they will never forget, including with 12 new friends.
