For travelers hoping for a smooth trip home this Memorial Day weekend, today delivered something far less cooperative at 2 of the country’s most heavily trafficked airline hubs.
American Airlines canceled 83 flights today, with a significant number of those cancellations concentrated at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the airline’s largest hub. More than 250 additional American Airlines flights were delayed across the network today. FlightAware data showed DFW specifically recorded 35 cancellations and 62 flight delays at the airport level.
Sunday was worse. American canceled 233 flights the day before, with 143 of those at DFW alone and more than 800 total American Airlines flights delayed nationwide. Combined across those 2 days, the airline recorded 316 canceled flights. The gap between American and its peers today was striking: Delta and United each canceled only 5 flights that same day.
The weather driving the disruption
Texas weather conditions are the central factor behind both days of disruptions. The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth forecast scattered thunderstorms across North and Central Texas today, with a more widespread system expected to move east through the region into Tuesday night and Wednesday. Forecasters noted that locally heavy rainfall during that stretch could also raise the risk of flash flooding across parts of the area…