“I'm going to lose my mind”: the air chaos leaves thousands of travelers looking for an exit in the US.

Janice Llewellyn is on the verge of tears at New York's LaGuardia Airport. She is 61 years old and should travel to Canada to attend her daughter's wedding, but the blockage of flights in the United States threatens to leave her stranded. “I wish there was another flight, I wish I could take another flight right now,” he explains while desperately searching for an alternative. "I'm going to lose my mind. My husband flew in from England so he could attend the wedding."

Like her, hundreds of thousands of travelers were trapped this Friday at US airports after the aviation authority ordered a temporary halt to all takeoffs due to problems in the communication systems of several air control centers. The measure was lifted hours later, but the recovery of traffic seemed slow.

The uncertainty was for much of the day almost as problematic as the closure itself. In Las Vegas, some passengers received contradictory explanations: some were informed of delays due to wind, while airline employees spoke of waits of eight hours or even 24.

The lack of information triggered the search for alternatives. Long lines accumulated at car rental counters and some travelers began to consider traveling distances of hundreds or thousands of kilometers by road.

Joseph Anderson, 72, was trying to return to Oakland from Las Vegas. This Air Force veteran was considering renting a car, although that option was not clear to him. “If the entire country is stopped, that means that the highways will also be collapsed,” he reasoned. There was another problem: his luggage was already checked in and he couldn't get it back. "We're kind of stuck. I hope the FAA improves their communication."

In New York, Tiara Johnson was scheduled to fly to Orlando to attend a concert over the weekend. As the hours passed, his chances of arriving on time diminished. “You think you're going to be there in three hours, but the whole night is already a bit ruined,” he lamented. Then he chose to take it with some humor: “But hey, they say it's Friday the 13th.”

In the terminals, many passengers remained on their phones, trying to find an update, a new reservation or any alternative that would allow them to continue the trip. Others simply waited, tired and resigned.

Hagit Levy Shalev, 54, decided to take the delay more calmly. He managed to book another flight for Sunday morning, extending a work trip longer than planned. “I'll get there,” he said, laughing. “One more day away from the children!”

Not everyone could afford that patience. In Washington, Claire Clemson practically gave up on a family commitment. “We are going to miss a pretty important event,” he explained. “I hope we can still go, but I don't think it's going to be possible.”

The incident also comes a few weeks before Thanksgiving, the busiest period of the year in the United States, when millions of people cross the country to reunite with their families. The chaos experienced this Friday has served as a preview of what may cause a widespread interruption in an air network under enormous pressure.