Dozens of flights are experiencing delays on Thanksgiving at San Diego International Airport due to bad weather causing issues for travelers nationwide. According to airline tracker FlightAware, there have been 103 delays reported as of noon Thursday, with no cancellations. About 60 of these delays are for flights arriving or departing from San Diego later in the day, with an average delay time of around 36 minutes and increasing.
The holiday travel rush has been particularly challenging for airline passengers, with over 300 flights in San Diego experiencing delays the day before Thanksgiving. Additionally, six flights were cancelled on Wednesday. Nationally, thousands of flights have been affected since the start of the peak holiday travel season on Tuesday, with heavy rain and snow in some parts of the country contributing to the disruptions.
A spokesperson for FlightAware mentioned that these delays are not entirely unexpected during the busy holiday travel season. Despite the frustrating circumstances, this year is expected to be one of the busiest ever for travel, with approximately 5.84 million people projected to travel by air for Thanksgiving. This represents a 2.1% increase from the previous year and a 10.7% rise from pre-pandemic levels.
The San Diego airport authority anticipated around 460,000 passengers passing through the airport between the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and the Monday after. Officials advise travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport, either through their airline or a flight tracker, to stay informed about any potential delays or cancellations.
As the holiday travel period continues, it is important for passengers to stay updated on their flight status and be prepared for potential delays. The San Diego International Airport is working to manage the situation and provide assistance to travelers during this busy time. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
