According to FlightAware, more than 2,600 U.S. and over 4,400 international flights were grounded on Sunday.
This was in response to Saturday’s cancellations of more 2,700 U.S.-bound flights and more than 4,700 around the world.
“It was absolute chaos,” Natasha Enos said. She spent an interminable Saturday night and Sunday morning at Denver International Airport, during what was supposed be a brief layover on a cross country trip from Washington to San Francisco.
Saturday’s single-day U.S. flight grounded was the highest since right before Christmas, when airlines started blaming staff shortages for increasing COVID-19 infection among crew members.
Chicago was the most dangerous place for weekend travelers due to a winter storm that struck the Midwest on Saturday. Sunday saw about 25% of O’Hare Airport flights cancelled.
Denver’s airport was also affected by major disruptions. Enos, a Frontier Airlines passenger, was not informed that her flight to California had been cancelled until she arrived in Denver. It was then a rush to find alternate flights and navigate through baggage claim jammed with confused and stranded travelers amid concerns about the spread and transmission of COVID-19.
The 28-year old financial analyst said that there were a lot of people in small spaces and that not everyone was hiding. “There were many exhausted children and some families so stressed out.”
The authority responsible for Detroit International Airport in Michigan stated that crews are working round the clock to clear snow and maintain the airport. Atlanta’s airport authority advised passengers to arrive earlier than usual due to high passenger volumes, weather issues, and staff shortages caused by pandemics. This could increase the time to clear security gates.
Hawaiian Airlines announced that it had to cancel many flights between the islands and across the Pacific because of staff shortages.
Southwest Airlines stated that it was helping customers affected by the cancellation of approximately 400 flights in the United States on Sunday. This represents 11% of its schedule. As the storm system moves into the Eastern seaboard, the airline based in Dallas anticipates more operational problems.
Delta Air Lines announced Sunday that it would issue a travel waiver to plan flights this week from Baltimore and Washington mid-Atlantic Airports. This is in preparation for the forecasted winter storms.
American Airlines stated that most Sunday’s cancelled flights were canceled in advance to avoid any disruptions at the airport.
According to FlightAware, SkyWest, a regional carrier operating flights under the names American Eagle and Delta Connection, grounded over 500 flights Sunday. This represents about 20% of its schedule.
According to airlines, they have taken steps to decrease cancellations due workers who were affected by the pandemic. United will pay pilots three times or more their normal wages to pick up flights that are still available through January. Spirit Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants reached a deal for cabin crew pay to be doubled through Tuesday, according to a union spokesperson.
Airlines hope that they can get through the holiday rush and into January with reduced schedules and extra pay. This is when travel demand typically drops. Because most business travelers remain grounded, the seasonal decline could be more severe than usual this year.
