Jan 07 (Kyodo) - Flight cancellations due to heavy snow in Hokkaido, northern Japan, left around 2,000 travelers stranded overnight at a key airport through Sunday, right at the end of the country's New Year holidays.
Check-in counters at New Chitose Airport near Sapporo were swamped with people looking to book new flights to take them home after 105 flights were cancelled on Saturday.
Near a security checkpoint, sleeping bags and blankets that had been handed out by staff were stacked high. Michio Maeda, a 71-year-old in the construction business, said he had been enjoying vacationing with his family until his return flight to Tokyo's Haneda airport was canceled.
