SAN DIEGO — It has been a rough Friday at the airport. Not only have thousands of flights across the country been canceled or delayed due to the winter storm happening away from San Diego, but this morning the fog halted all flight operations for several hours.

The severe weather added more frustration for travelers to an already hectic holiday travel season. The first American Airlines flight out of San Diego was around noon for example. As travelers came to the airport, they checked the flight status board because all flights from the morning were either pushed back or canceled.

The ripple effect will be felt for the next few days for many travelers.

Among the stranded travelers were more than 800 Camp Pendleton Marines who are trying to get home to their loved once as part of the one-week holiday leave that they get.

“I’m trying to head to Illinois right now. I’m just so bad right now. I don’t think I am going to be able to get home for the holidays and I think that’s how it is going to be for most people to,” said one servicemember. “I am from Camp Pendleton and so are the rest of the guys here. There’s about 800 of us trying to get home for a week of holiday leave right now, but the weather isn’t looking super great. So I’m hoping my flights are going to be pushed through, but if not I don’t think I’ll be going home for the holidays.”

Fortunately the USO is here to help our active duty military. They have an airport center where Marines can retreat to be more comfortable.

For everyone else, it’ll be a waiting game in an already crowded airport.