Spirit brings stranded passengers from Houston to Detroit

ROMULUS, Mich. (WJBK) - Spirit Airlines offered a flight free of charge to stranded passengers in Houston to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus Monday.

It also offered free connecting flights for passengers. Very few of those passengers were from Houston, but all of them were stranded.

"Some people were talking about Spirit letting people on it (and had) two planes going out," said Rozell Kenney. "I think everyone was like rushing over."

Kenney of Philadelphia was one of nearly 100 passengers that boarded an evacuation flight to Detroit Monday, after Tropical Storm Harvey left them stranded at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

Kenney says if she can get a flight out, she will fly out Monday night.

Spirit Airlines had two planes in Houston when Harvey hit. It provided one other evacuation flight to Chicago Monday with 147 customers and crewmembers on that flight.

"I have a brother right now that lives in Houston," said Ryan Gonzalez. "It's flooding, he's surrounded by water so I'm a bit worried about him." Gonzalez was headed home to McCallen, Texas after a trip to Paris.

How to help the Texas flooding victims impacted by Hurricane Harvey

"I flew into Newark from there, they flew us to Houston and from there I was supposed to go to McCallen, but once we got to Houston all the flights had been canceled and I was stuck there," he said.

Katie Cromer and her daughter Allie had been at the airport since Friday. Allie is headed to University of Michigan. Mom doesn't know when she's headed home.

"We live in the Woodlands and all the roads to, in and out are closed," she said. "Apparently, there is more rain in the forecast."

At least three people have died since Harvey made landfall. About 30 thousand people in Houston and the Gulf Coast region are expected to take refuge in shelters as flood waters continue to rise.

In light of that harsh reality, everyone here knows their temporary inconvenience pales in comparison.

"You have people dealing with high water, you have people are waiting to be picked up and rescued," said Jeff Zagurski. "You have people who don't have food, they don't have electricity ... you have the national guard, you have emergency medical services just pouring as much effort and energy into that rescue."