On Thursday, most of the airline delays the day before were concentrated around Chicago, with more than 210 flights canceled from O’Hare International Airport.
More than 1,400 flights were canceled on Thursday and another 1,800 were delayed as storms hit much of the country on one of the busiest tourist days of the year.
Most of Thursday’s airline delays were centered around Chicago, with more than 210 flights canceled from O’Hare International Airport, according to FlightAware. In addition, more than 150 flights did not take place at the Denver airport.
Southwest Airlines leads the way with over 570 cancellations.
Problems with airports have arisen on the eve of a severe storm that threatens the Midwest with the strongest cyclone. Temperatures are expected to drop sharply here Thursday afternoon, with snow drifts possible Thursday night into Friday, according to the Chicago National Weather Service. This Arctic explosion is likely to move to the East Coast as early as Friday.
Several airlines have announced cancellations ahead of the storm, with some 113 million people expected to travel over the holiday.
Transportation Minister Pete Buttigieg laments that “there are not enough airbags to handle the growing traffic. We need to increase the staff of airlines, especially we pay attention to pilots and mechanics. Even within our organization at the FAA, we are working to train and qualify more air traffic controllers.”
In terms of car travel, almost 102 million people are expected to drive during the holiday week as gasoline prices continue to fall.
Rail operator Amtrak also issued a severe winter weather warning, canceling several trains across the country.