An American Airlines flight had to turn back and return to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Thursday after a volcano began erupting near its destination of Costa Rica.
The noxious cloud from the eruption of volcano Turrialba is making it impossible for planes to land or take off in the capital city of San Jose.
American flight 2442 didn't even make it to the Texas Gulf Coast before having to turn around 30 minutes into the trip. Airline officials said they had to cancel seven flights because of the volcano.
Now, hundreds of passengers have had their vacation plans wrecked because of the eruption.
"[The pilot] comes on the intercom and says the volcano had erupted," said traveler Kayden Burtner, who was stranded at DFW Airport. "We started to notice he was turning around. He was serious."
Burtner, from Blackwell, Oklahoma, was flying to Costa Rica with her high school Spanish club for spring break.
"We had planned this since my eighth grade year, and I'm a sophomore now," she said.
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Alex May and his family from Nashville were also traveling together when the volcano derailed their vacation.
"Now, we are all panicking because we are not exactly sure what to do," he said.
"We are going to be late getting to the rain forest if we get there. But that's alright. These things happen," said stranded traveler Julie May.
The people we talked told NBC 5 they were scrambling at the last minute to find hotels in North Texas and many still hope they can fly out by Saturday or Sunday.
But that all depends on the volcano in Costa Rica.
