Technology, storms delay hundreds of flights and their passengers on Christmas Eve
The storms that blew into North Texas on Christmas Eve challenged airline passengers coming to and leaving DFW International Airport. The website Flight Aware reported that as of 5:30 p.m., American Airlines had delayed 1,040 flights system-wide. Most of them, 802 flights, were to and from DFW Airport, which is American's largest hub and home base.
But it wasn't just the weather.
Earlier in the morning, an American Airlines spokesperson said one of its vendors had a technology issue, which led to a nationwide ground stop. The spokesperson said the issue was corrected an hour later.
Debbie Schlier said she and her husband got a double whammy. Their morning flight to California was delayed by the technical glitch, then their next flight out was delayed by the storms.
"It just kept getting delayed. When we got closer to the hour, they were like delay again and finally, it was cancelled."
Alberto Cazares was supposed to be on that same cancelled flight.
"They told us there's no flights to Fresno. All direct flights were cancelled. We're trying to scramble around."
So, he, Debbie and her husband and others, who just met, decided they were going to rent a van and make the 22-hour-long drive together. Schlier said, "We're going to take a road trip, sing some Christmas songs, Feliz Navidad all the way to Fresno."
Rhonda Holmes said she and her daughter Aliya arrived from Cleveland two hours late because of the technical glitch. They said the storms in North Texas almost diverted their flight to Kansas. Rhonda Holmes said, "We were over Wichita, Kansas and the pilots gets on the intercom and says it's a Christmas miracle, now we can go to Dallas." When asked if they felt as if the Grinch almost stole their Christmas, they pointed to one of Aliya's fingernails, which had a Grinch painted on it, and laughed.
Aside from American Airlines, other airlines experienced delayed flights at DFW International Airport. The airlines advise passengers check their flight status before heading to the airport.
