It’s been another tough day for American airline passengers, to put it mildly.
As of 3 p.m. ET Friday, more than 1,100 flights had been canceled in the US. reported flight. Some of Friday’s problems could be due to planes not being able to make their first morning flights after Thursday’s cancellations.
American Airlines has the most cancellations so far, with around 200 flights cut, accounting for 6% of the airline’s schedule for the day. However, those numbers do not include American Eagle flights operated by the airline’s regional affiliates.
The Federal Aviation Administration implemented delay programs at Northeast airports Friday afternoon and warned that air traffic restrictions could extend as far south as Florida before the end of the day. Western airports are also affected by the weather.
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Summer squeeze for the aviation network
Overall, it’s been a frustrating summer for passengers and airlines alike. cut schedules and airports, but in the US and abroad fight to cope with the growing demand for travel.
Early in the pandemic, airlines downsized as people stayed home. But with restrictions lifted, people are traveling this summer like it’s 2019 all over again, and carriers say they don’t have enough people on their lists to fly at the times they planned.
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That has led to many airlines – American, UnitedDelta and JetBlue among them – to announce cutbacks and even end service to some smaller cities.
Experts say it could take up to a year for things to normalize.
What are you entitled to if your flight is canceled?
If your flight is canceled and you decide not to travel on a new itinerary, the Department of Transportation requires your airline to give you a refund, even if you purchased a non-refundable ticket.
In case of delay, the rules are a bit more confusing. The DOT says passengers are entitled to compensation if a “significant” delay occurs, but the department has not yet defined what is considered significant.
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Ultimately, that means that for now, it’s up to individual airlines to decide how and when to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed.
The DOT announced earlier this week that they are plans to clarify those rulesand make them more consumer friendly. On Wednesday, the agency opened a portal for public comments about updates to its cancellation and delay compensation regulations.
