Snow Strands Teen Pageant Contestant

Thousands of air travelers at Bradley will spend the next few days trying to salvage their plans after all flights in and out of the airport were canceled Wednesday.

The airport kept a runway open, but with no flights landing or taking off, it was, in effect, shut down.

Among the stranded passengers is Connecticut's representative in the Miss Teen America pageant, Cassidy Molino-McHenry. She was supposed to fly out of Bradley at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday for Nashville, Tennessee to participate in the pageant this weekend.

"Most of the girls have already arrived, and Cassidy is going to miss out on all of that," said Cassidy's mother, Darci McHenry.

Molino-McHenry, 12, was crowned Miss Nutmeg State Jr. Teen America in December 2009, and was scheduled to compete in the national pageant in Nashville Saturday and Sunday.

After spending hours on the phone with USAirways, McHenry was able to book a flight that will leave Bradley Thursday afternoon.

Cassidy, who attends Smith Middle School in Glastonbury, was supposed to take part in public appearances and rehearsals with the other contestants Thursday and Friday, but she will now miss much of the pre-pageant activities. 

Ironically, the National Teen America Pageant was held at the Sheraton Hotel at Bradley Airport last year.

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