American Airlines' Weekend Flight Cancellations Felt At BWI
LINTHICUM, Md. (WJZ) – Nearly 2,000 American Airlines flights canceled nationwide were felt Monday at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.
The airline's disruptions started late last week when high winds shut down its busiest hub in Dallas, making it difficult for crews to get into position for upcoming flights. By Monday morning, nearly 2,000 flights were canceled.
"I didn't even realize that there were so many cancellations until arriving here," Nicole Hideo said as she watched her family go through the security checkpoint. "My only worry is they have a toddler and he's in his 'Terrible Twos.' So, having that little bit of extra time—I'm praying for them right now."
An American Airlines spokesperson told CBS News improvements would come Monday but said to expect "some residual impact from the weekend."
"It's not good for the company. They have to make sure that they are organized," traveler Josephine Mumba said. "I was at the security (in Charlotte) for more than two hours."
Travel expert "Johnny Jet" told KCBS in Los Angeles other factors besides weather likely played a role in the volume of cancellations over the weekend.
"But the problem is the airlines these days, especially American and southwest, they're really extending themselves where, you know, they don't have a lot of people on reserve," Johnny Jet said. "It's towards the end of the month when a lot of the flight attendants and pilots have maxed out their hours."
American Airlines' wave of cancellations comes on the heels of similar issues with Southwest Airlines.
"I feel like I'm probably not going to travel (for the holidays) if I can help it," Hideo said.
