Ground stop lifted at PHL as travel headaches continue due to severe weather
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A ground stop at the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was lifted at 6 p.m. Tuesday. It was in place for two hours due to severe weather.
Tuesday is another NEXT Weather Alert day as storms move through the Delaware Valley for the second straight day.
Weather is currently impacting arriving and departing flights at #PHLAirport. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information. pic.twitter.com/yTuhE5Csqs
— PHLAirport (@PHLAirport) June 27, 2023
For some passengers, this was not the news they wanted as it was yet another day of cancellations and delays at PHL airport. Some have been stuck in Philly since Monday night because of severe weather that hit the Delaware Valley.
As the second round of potentially severe storms rolls in, passengers are keeping their eyes on the board.
Frustrations are mounting for Kathy Kopen as she waits to check in to her Frontier flight to Raleigh, North Carolina. Her original flight on United also was canceled due to weather, she said.
"I couldn't find another flight out so I'm flying Frontier for the first time," Kopen said.
Kopen brought her dog Buzz along for the ride as they're back for round two, hoping to take off. She said she wasn't supposed to travel alone but her rebooked flight only had one ticket, so her travel partner is driving down to meet her.
"I was looking at other airlines. American was $1,600 for a one-way flight. The cheapest was Frontier," Kopen said.
Stranded travelers, like Vic Cohen, decided to take to the road as cancellations and delays with airlines nationwide continued.
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"I am missing work right now. I'm not happy about that," Cohen said.
Flight Aware notes more than 65 flights into and out of PHL were canceled within the last 24 hours.
Aviation expert John Gagliano said the cancellations and delays are unavoidable when it comes to weather.
"If the severe storm is over, or very close to the airport, there's going to be delays that's unavoidable. That has nothing to do with 5G. That is nothing to do with staffing. Planes cannot fly through bad weather," Gagliano said.
Gagliano said that while the weather disruptions are certainly frustrating for travelers, it's important to remember the delays and cancellations are all in the name of safety.
"We have the safest aviation system in the world, and if you're upset and frustrated, that's horrible. You're missing vacation time. That's horrible. But realize that at least you're safe on the ground and not in some sort of trouble in the air," he added.