More than 1,000 flights across the country were canceled or delayed on a busy tourist day
In what is expected to be one of the busiest travel days in 15 years, a powerful winter storm in the Midwest and Great Lakes has caused hundreds of flight cancellations across the country as travelers prepare to fly home.
As of noon Sunday, 6,211 flights in and out of the United States had been delayed and 1,006 had been cancelled, according to FlightAware, a flight tracker that provides real-time flight delay and cancellation updates.
Los Angeles International Airport, California’s busiest airport, had six flights canceled and 126 delayed. Inbound flights to Los Angeles International Airport were also affected, with 12 flights canceled and 155 flights delayed. Hollywood Burbank and Long Beach airports were also affected, with several flights delayed Sunday.
The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement on November 21 that more than 17.8 million passengers are expected to fly between November 25 and December 2, including more than 3 million trips on Sunday. “We expect the Sunday after Thanksgiving to be one of the busiest travel days in TSA history,” said Adam Stahl, the senior official with responsibilities as TSA deputy administrator.
While weather is the main cause of delays, some short-term disruption is expected after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued emergency airworthiness directives to address software issues on Airbus A320 aircraft. The recall was implemented after a JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark crashed in mid-air and made an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 30, injuring 15 to 20 passengers.
Before heading to the airport, travelers are encouraged to check NASstatus.faa.gov for flight delays, the National Weather Service for weather conditions, and airlines for the latest flight information.
