Flight Delays and Cancellations

Official data revealed that more than 9,000 flights have been affected by the severe summer storms that hit the eastern United States of America.

More than 8,200 flights were delayed in the United States on Monday, according to data from FlightAware, and more than 1,600 American flights were cancelled.

The data indicates that about 400 Delta Air Lines have been canceled, equivalent to about 11% of their schedule, and more than 1,200 delayed flights.

Apologies from Delta Air Lines

A Delta spokesperson said, “Due to continued severe weather affecting our hub in Atlanta, Delta teams are working diligently to restore operation and we apologize to our customers who experienced delays to their travel plans.”

FAA’s Control Measures

The FAA reported that it was slowing flights to New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. area airports due to thunderstorms. And it warned of new impacts on flights from Florida north to New York due to the storms. Forecasts were that about 120 million people in the eastern United States could be affected by severe weather on Monday.

While the weather may be partly to blame, these delays and cancellations have been par for the course for months now. Staffing shortages affecting airlines and traffic control staff caused ground shutdowns throughout the summer travel season.

According to a statement carried by CNN, the Federal Aviation Administration said it has limited ability to direct New York flights north through Canadian airspace, due to “staffing issues” in Canada.