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, with more than 3,700 delayed, according to FlightAware. 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 as airlines cut schedules and cut airports, but in the US and abroad struggle to keep up with rising travel demand.
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 prompted many airlines — American, United, Delta and JetBlue among them — to announce cutbacks and even cancel 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.
Airline compensation:What are you entitled to if your flight is canceled or delayed?
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 it plans to clarify those rules and make them more consumer-friendly. On Wednesday, the agency opened a portal for public comment on updates to its cancellation and delay compensation regulations.