Winter weather is once again in full force, wreaking havoc on air travel. The storm, which first caused travel disruption in Texas on Thursday, is causing more flight delays and cancellations in parts of the South and Mid-Atlantic as the weekend begins.
Airlines canceled more than 3,500 flights on Friday, data shows Flight Aware. Another 6,700 people were delayed.
By mid-morning Saturday, another 750 flights had been canceled, according to FlightAware, and the disruption is likely to continue this weekend.
Help! Here’s what to do if your flight is canceled or delayed
For the second consecutive day Saturday, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) was the hardest hit, with 125 flights canceled so far. That’s after Atlanta – the world’s busiest airport —More than three-quarters of flights were canceled on Friday.
As of mid-morning Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration reported significant ground delays at Delta’s home hub.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), a major hub in the Southeast, is second only to Atlanta in terms of canceled flights, with nearly 110 flights grounded on Saturday. More than 40% of departing flights at the airport were canceled on Friday.
Over the past few days, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Nashville International Airport (BNA) have been significantly impacted.
Friday was a particularly chaotic day at airports across the country.
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At some point Friday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration suspended air traffic at both Atlanta and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) due to winter weather.
All five runways in Atlanta were closed early Friday as crews removed snow and ice, Delta Air Lines said.
The airline warned that further disruption was possible throughout the weekend.
Delta Air Lines told TPG on Friday that “the safety of Delta’s customers and employees is our top priority as we address the disruption to Delta’s operations.”
Adding to the chaos was a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 bound for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) had to suspend takeoffs in Atlanta after a pilot reported an engine problem. The 201 passengers on board had to be evacuated from the aircraft using an emergency slide and then returned to the terminal by ground transportation, an airline spokesperson confirmed.
According to the airport, four passengers suffered minor injuries.
Meanwhile, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) saw more than 1,000 cancellations between Thursday and Friday, marking the end of another difficult week.
This winter’s heatwave was just the latest hurdle for the major hub airport and its major airline, American Airlines. The airport had to suspend operations multiple times this week due to strong winds. A fierce storm continues I survived the busy holiday travel rush at the end of last month.
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In total, well over 6,400 flights have been canceled across the United States since this winter storm first brought winter weather to North Texas on Thursday.
That number is expected to rise further on Saturday as continued disruption and storms from Friday affect other parts of the East Coast.
Airlines prepare for southeastern winter heat wave
Several major U.S. airlines have issued travel advisories for dozens of airports from Texas to Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
These exemptions give travelers more flexibility to change their tickets for free to avoid traveling during significant weather events. (The airline has issued similar exemptions for some areas of Southern California. The area is still affected by the ongoing wildfires.)
During this recent winter storm, Delta Air Lines travel alert Most of the Southeast, including the huge ATL headquarters.
America’s vast travel alert We serve numerous airports in the Southeast, including our hub in Charlotte.
The airport announced on social media Friday that it had deployed nearly 40 snow and ice removal trucks to respond to the storm.
The National Weather Service warned Thursday that the storm will strengthen, bringing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to the South and Southeast.
The same storm system could bring wintry weather and further flight disruption to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast over the weekend. Accuweather added.
This weather-related flight suspension comes after the previous winter storm, which grounded Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) with thousands of flights from January 4th to January 6th. This occurred in response to the incident. close the runway on monday.
What to do if you’re on a plane this week
If you’re wondering about your travel plans this weekend, here’s how to prepare.
Check your options
Now is a good time to find out if your trip is covered by your airline’s travel advisory.
Please review the information listed under “Winter Storm Cora” specific to this impending winter storm.
These recommendations give you more flexibility to change your itinerary, even if you are using a normally restrictive ticket.
Here’s a summary of current alerts for the largest U.S. carriers:
Keep an eye on airline apps
Be sure to download your airline’s app and maintain your reservations. Keep an eye out for flight notifications and signs of potential problems with your itinerary.
If your flight is delayed or canceled, the airline may offer you the opportunity to rebook directly through the app. This eliminates the need to wait to be placed on hold to speak with customer service.
read more: Was your flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do next
Found a good rebooking option? Don’t delay
If you’re battling a flight delay and a half-baked rebooking option pops up in your airline’s app, don’t waste a second and just lock in.
Thousands of flights have been taken off their regular schedules due to inclement weather, and vast numbers of passengers are simultaneously competing for seats on on-time flights, which can fill up quickly.
Check your refund rights
Now is a good time to hone your skills Right to a refund When it comes to air travel.
Under U.S. Department of Transportation policy, airlines will only accept unflighted tickets if a flight is canceled or significantly delayed, if you choose not to travel (and do not accept rebooking). I have to refund the part.
This rule also applies in the case of a flight cancellation due to bad weather, and is useful if you decide to stay home instead of taking a later flight during a winter storm.
Please think carefully about checking in your luggage.
Finally, you might want to think twice about checking baggage, at least if you can avoid it. Flying amidst a slew of cancellations and delays often means having to switch to a new flight at the last minute. This also means that your planned 90-minute connection time in Charlotte, for example, could be significantly narrowed.
Having all your luggage on hand means fewer wrinkles if you need to rebook on the spot, and eliminates the risk of your luggage missing your connecting flight.
Remember: Packing everything in your carry-on means everything in your suitcase must comply with Transportation Security Administration regulations. 3-1-1 Liquid Policy.
Receive compensation for flight delays
Airlines make a wide range of promises to the DOT for things like meals and hotel accommodations. guarantee If a flight is canceled or significantly delayed. However, these typically apply to “controllable” interruptions (such as maintenance or staffing issues) and generally do not have Applies if inclement weather affects your trip.
Here, Travel credit cards that offer travel insurance It can help you recover unexpected expenses when you are stranded due to plane trouble. One problem: In most cases, you will need to book travel with the card for your application to be successful.
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