Honor Flight cancels fall trip due to flight scheduling issues

Airline changes at SLO County Airport have prompted the organization to postpone the trip that allows veterans to travel to Washington D.C. to visit war memorials. That means the next honor flight won’t be taking off until next spring at the Santa Maria Public Airport.

“If we have to wait until next May, I don’t know how I’m going to be. There’s no way to tell,” said 99-year-old World War II Navy veteran, Bill Root, from Santa Maria.

The reality is that he will now have to wait until next spring to take his honor flight. Honor Flight Central Coast California officials tell KSBY after they booked the September flight, flight changes would have made travel days long and the activities during the honor flight short. They told KSBY they want the veterans to get the full experience, so they canceled the fall trip.

Root told KSBY his family surprised him and signed up for the September honor flight, which was a welcome surprise for the veteran who turns 100 next June.

“They were there Monday, Tuesday, and they came back on a Wednesday. They were gone those two days, and they all raved about how wonderful it was and what they got to see. I want to meet the veterans. Maybe I’ll meet some guys in WWII, I hope, and talk about old times with them,” said Root.

The two dozen-plus veterans signed up for the fall trip will have first priority to sign up for the honor flight in May. Click here for more information.