Flight cancellations and delays are a headache throughout the summer, and they don’t seem to be getting better.
According to information from flight tracking website FlightAware, US airlines have canceled more than 100,000 flights this year, with 30,000 cancellations occurring just during Memorial Day weekend.
As the number of air travelers exceeds pandemic-era highs, disruptions are growing.
In the United States, airports in the New York region see the most flight cancellations, while three airports in Florida are among the top 10 for flight delays.
Who is responsible for the chaotic summer travel season? Depending on who you talk to.
Airlines with a staffing shortage claim that the federal government likewise has a staffing shortage at air traffic control sites.
However, the Federal Aviation Administration lays the fault at the feet of inadequate airline staffing, unfavorable weather, and dense air traffic.
In a recent interview with CNN, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that while he is witnessing improvements, he still expects airlines to do better.
No matter how the mayhem of summer air travel is justified, the people who are actually affected are the passengers.
According to a FlightAware investigation done for CNN, LaGuardia and Newark are the top two US airports for flight cancellations, with Newark coming in second.
Since May 28, more than 7% of flights leaving LaGuardia and nearly 8% of flights departing Newark have been canceled. JFK, the other significant New York airport, is ranked ninth. The information spans the dates of May 28 and July 13.
Read Also: Birmingham Airport records the most delays in 2021
Data reveals Florida as the leading city with the most cancellations
The FlightAware data also examines delays during the summer. Florida has three of the top ten airports with the most flight delays this summer. Over a quarter of all flights out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale and a third of all flights out of Orlando have been delayed.
Chicago Midway Airport, however, experiences the most delays. In addition, nearly a third of flights at Newark and JFK airports are delayed, which is another issue plaguing New York’s airports. All of the top ten US airports for summertime delays had at least 25% of their flights delayed.
