DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa State is expecting over 10,000 Cyclones fans to make the trip over to Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic vs. Kansas State. 

Several of those fans booked a travel package through the official event travel agency “On Location”. 

Eva and Tom Powers, from Webster City, have been looking forward to the three-city package they booked with them for over a year. They paid over $8,000 a person, with the convivence and ease of having On Location deal with all the planning and logistics. 

The Powers were supposed to fly out of Des Moines International Airport on Monday but their first flight to Chicago got delayed because of weather and then cancelled. They understood that sometimes things happens while traveling, as annoying as it is. What they did not understand was why On Location was not helping them. The only response they’d get was that they’ll response to them within 48 hours.

Eva was forced to play travel agent herself.

“What do we do? What we found out is everyone who is on the same package deal as us ended up having to rebook their own flights,” she said. “My husband and I had to book sperate flights. We just now finally met up. Now we’re on a bus to Shannon, Ireland which is another two-hour bus ride. We’ve missed all of our excursions from the last three days and still have had no communication from On Location.”

The Powers finally arrived in Ireland two and half days later. They only get to spend a few hours in Shannon before hopping on another bus to Dublin to finally catch up to their itinerary. 

“Frustrated. Lack of sleep. I need a shower. I feel much better now that I’m on the bus,” Eva said. “We totally understand that weather is an issue. We know that. But the frustration is this company should have – Iowa State entrusted them with a plan for their fans. They on the backside did not have a backup plan.”

The Powers met other Cyclones fans in the same position, like Taylor Griffin, who they shared the bus with to get across the country from the airport. 

“There’s been a lot of us. We’ve met each other in the airport. We’ve kind of bonded through misery and helped each other out, like created a group text, you know? ‘Oh, I found this information out. Check this out.’ Just trying to help each other out because, like Eva said, On Location has done absolutely nothing,” Griffin said. “You know, spread the Cyclone love is the only way to do it.”

The Powers said they reached out many times to On Location. One time Eva got through and asked about reimbursement for missing 1/3 of their trip, along with the lack of communication. She said On Location said there would be nothing, but they could submit a travel insurance claim. On Location did not response with a comment. 

Through it all, they’ve tried to stay positive, especially happy they’ve made it on time to see the game, the reason they came. 

“You know, as long as the cycle is breaking, it’ll all be worth,” Tom Powers said. 

“We’re hoping to from this point on stay positive and make the best of it,” Eva said.