by For the third day in a row, travelers across the country are facing high numbers of flight delays and cancellations.
As of 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, more than 2,370 US flights were delayed and more than 710 US flights were canceled, according to FlightAware, which tracks real-time flights.
On Friday, a total of over 8,930 US flight delays and around 1,470 US flight cancellations were reported, according to FlightAware. More than 1,750 US flights were also canceled on Thursday.
The thousands of flight delays and cancellations come as US airlines try to recover from severe storms that swept through large parts of the country this week, while working to accommodate the growing number of travelers on summer vacation.
Friday:Thousands of US flights were canceled or delayed on Friday after one of the worst flight days this summer
Nationwide, Delta and American Airlines reported some of the highest numbers of cancellations both Friday and Saturday morning – with their schedules reduced by 6% and 4% respectively for Saturday from 6 p.m. 13.00 ET.
These figures do not include flights on their regional affiliates, which operate as American Eagle and Delta Connection.
“The vast majority of this is weather-related,” American Airlines spokesman Curtis Blessing said Friday.
This week’s figures are not the first time US flights have seen thousands of delays and cancellations this year. Between Friday and Monday on Memorial Day Weekend, FlightAware reported nearly 2,800 U.S. flight cancellations and delays for more than 20,000 U.S. flights.
In May:Travelers on Memorial Day face thousands of cancellations, delays over the weekend
And the weekend’s problems were not limited to the United States: FlightAware reported nearly 10,500 delays and over 2,300 cancellations around the world for Saturday at 7 p.m. 13.00 ET. The site registered over 21,800 flight delays and nearly 3,330 cancellations worldwide on Friday.
What travelers need to know
If your flight is canceled, the US Department of Transportation requires airlines to rebook you on their next available service with space. If this does not work for you, the carrier will be required to offer you a refund, even if you purchased a non-refundable ticket.
Summer trips:What the airlines owe you when flights are canceled, delayed
In the event of a delay, an airline’s liability is a little less clear. DOT requires compensation for “significant delays”, but has no official definition of what counts as “significant”.
Many airlines updated their guidelines during the pandemic to give travelers more flexibility in rebooking or changing plans. Delta Air Lines, for example, automatically rebooks passengers whose flights were canceled and sends them their new itineraries via email, text and the Fly Delta app. Customers are free to change their rebooked flight online or via Delta’s digital messaging platform if the new itinerary does not work.
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Contributor: Associated Press
