Kennedy Woodard, a former Chicago-based engineer, recently posted her incredible travel experience that got seriously derailed on TikTok. The production has since generated a buzz with more than 13.5 million views, and counting. On March 16, Woodard posted a funny, informative short video about her trip from South Bend, Indiana, to Chicago. She had even been able to book the trip using her employer’s travel portal just four days prior!
On March 12, she had booked and paid $431.72 in airfare for that flight. When she landed at the airport, she went through what we all know as typical airport routine, walking to her gate. This time, instead of boarding a plane through a jet bridge, she was walking down steps onto the tarmac.
I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of weird. Like, if it was a bus taking us to a plane, why would they be, you know, taking our carry-ons?’ As Woodard pointed out in her video, she had no idea what was going on at first.
To her surprise, instead of boarding a plane, Woodard saw several passengers boarding a bus with their luggage. This bus trip, about two hours and 40 minutes, ended up taking her close to O’Hare Airport in Chicago. It wasn’t until she returned home that she learned the commuter rail service was called Landline, which is run by American Airlines. Landline links local travelers across regional airports far and wide, even including the South Bend in Indiana and Chicago.
The TikTok video sparked a national laugh-a-thon, mesmerizing the world. It has received a remarkable 1.7 million likes and gained over 16,000 comments! In fact, many viewers were just as entertained and puzzled by the bus service itself.
“Have you turned your phone to bus mode?” replied one reader, reflecting the confusion plenty felt at this strange new mode of transport.
From there, Woodard went on to discuss her experience in a series of videos posted to her TikTok account. She told this great story about when she knew they weren’t going to make it to the plane. No, they weren’t just taking the most direct route to their destination!
I’m always getting myself into these situations. ‘Let me post it and put this, like, funny sound on it that’s supposed to, you know, simulate or make you feel like you’re panicking,’ because that’s what was happening to me in the moment, she explained.
Now, the bus turned onto the tarmac in a graceful arc. She kept her camera rolling as it neared a police security booth at the airport perimeter before finally passing out. “The bus is moving on the tarmac, and then it gets to, like, the security booth on the edge of the tarmac,” Woodard described.
Her funny and frank perspective on the surprise triparoundjourney connected deeply with audiences who loved her relatable, honest sharing vibe. “I just spent, like, a majority of the day laughing,” she said.
Woodard’s viral experience shines a light on Landline’s service and how it has caught travelers off guard. This new form of transport challenges the status quo of air travel as we know it. It does offer a very intriguing fix for establishing new regional airport connections.
