Approximately 300 passengers aboard two international flights destined for Atlanta were stranded for hours on an Alabama tarmac after their flights were diverted due to severe weather. Delta Air Lines flights 1828 from Cabo San Lucas and 599 from Mexico City were rerouted to Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama because Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport was unsuitable due to thunderstorms and dangerous conditions. The lack of Customs and Border Protection staffing at the small airport delayed processing until early Friday morning when a special accommodation was reached with Montgomery airport officials and CBP. Delta apologized for the inconvenience and offered full refunds to affected passengers. Passengers were provided with water and cookies while waiting for updates. Lauren Forbes, a passenger from Boston, described the ordeal as frustrating due to changing plans and announcements. Some passengers had to purchase their own flights for the final leg home after being issued flight bookings from Montgomery to Atlanta.
— new from CNN
