Local News

Stranded Students Finally Off to Cancun

Posted Updated
Student Tabatha Atkins
MORRISVILLE — The vacation has finally begun for a groupof college students who were stranded at RDU International airport fornearly 48 hours. After a series of broken promises that left the studentsalternating between hope and disappointment, a chartered airplane arrivedto carry them to Mexico.

Many of the students had had enough of boredom and sleep deprivation longbefore the transportation arrived, and simply went home. But, there wereabout 150 still at the airport when the plane touched down. Each had paidbetween $700 to $1,000 for the spring break trip scheduled by Take A BreakVacation Tours.

Student Tabatha Atkins says she called about getting a refund of hermoney and got a runaround instead.

The students had been waiting for 45 hours when they finally got wordtheir plane was on its way in. Fine print in the charter agreement statedthat the company was only obligated to provide transportation within 48hours of the scheduled departure time, although most said they hadn'tnoticed that clause.

Take A Break Vacations did not answer calls from WRAL-TV5'sBret Baier.

Travel agents say travel rules are different when charters are involved.They say, if you plan to travel on a charter trip, find out what the rulesare to protect your time and money.

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