US Airways adds flight to help stranded Nova Scotians

US Airways added another flight from Philadelphia to Halifax on Sunday morning to help Nova Scotia travellers stranded in the American city get back home.

The winter storm cancelled a series of flights out of Philadelphia, including the connecting flight to Halifax that Helen Clarke and her family were due to take on their way home from the United Kingdom.

Clarke and her family live in Halifax Regional Municipality, but were stranded in Philadelphia on Thursday. She says she was told by US Airways it would be Wednesday or Thursday before her family could fly out. Clarke said dozens of other passengers trying to get to Nova Scotia are in the same situation.

US Airways says it's aware of Clarke's situation. Airline spokesman Bill McGlashen said they have added a flight to Halifax to deal with the backlog. 

He also said the airline struggled to find hotel rooms for stranded travellers because so many were booked by fans attending the NFL playoff game Saturday in Philadelphia.

"We even had problems with hotels for our crew," McGlashen said.

Philadelphia is a hub for US Airways. The airline began offering twice-daily flights to Halifax last year. Travellers often connect to flights to other American cities, the Caribbean and Europe.