It was another rough day for American Airlines passengers, to put it mildly.
As of 3 p.m. EDT, more than 1,100 flights have been canceled in the United States, with more than 3,700 more delayed, according to FlightAware. Some of Friday’s problems may be caused by planes not being able to make their first flights in the morning after Thursday’s cancellation.
American Airlines has recorded the largest number of cancellations to date, with about 200 flights cut short, which is 6% of the carrier’s schedule for the day. However, these numbers do not include American Eagle flights operated by the airline’s regional subsidiaries.
Implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration delay programs at airports in the Northeast on Friday afternoon, and warned that air traffic restrictions could extend as far south as Florida before the end of the day. Airports in the west are also affected by the weather.
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Aviation Network Summer Crisis
Across the board, the summer has been frustrating for passengers as airlines cut schedules and airports but in the US and abroad they are struggling to deal with the soaring demand for travel.
Earlier in the pandemic, airlines were downsizing as people stayed home. But with restrictions lifted, this summer people are traveling as if it were 2019 again, and carriers say they don’t have enough people on their lists to travel with the schedules they had planned.
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This led to several airlines – American, United, Delta and JetBlue – to announce cuts and even end service in some smaller cities.
Experts say it could take up to a year for things to return to normal.
What are you entitled to if your flight is cancelled
If your flight is canceled and you choose not to travel on a new route, the Department of Transportation will require your airline to refund you, even if you purchased a non-refundable ticket.
In the case of delays, the rules are a bit more blurry. The Transportation Department says passengers are entitled to compensation in the event of “significant” delays, but the ministry has not yet determined what qualifies as significant.
Airline Compensation:What are you entitled to if your flight is canceled or delayed
This ultimately means, for now, that it is up to individual airlines to decide how and when to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed.
The Department of Transportation announced earlier this week that it plans to clarify these rules, and make them more convenient for consumers. Wednesday agency Opening a portal for public comments Updates on cancellation and delay compensation regulations.
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