Flight cancelations and delays eased across
Some 203 flights into or out of
That compared with nearly 4,700 delays and 312 cancelations on Sunday, when
The latest disruptions came as airlines and industry analysts anticipated the busiest weekend ever during a non-pandemic year as Americans sought to satisfy pent-up travel demands.
Concerns were heightened because the surge follows a month in which
Airlines have blamed the flight disruptions in recent months on poor weather and air traffic control issues. The Industry group Airlines for America, responding last month to concerns voiced by the Biden administration, said air traffic control-related issues "were a factor in at least one-third of recent cancellations."
The group pointed to adverse weather requiring the
Those assertions, however, have been challenged by some congressional leaders.
During the first four months of 2022, carriers cancelled 3.5% of flights and delayed another 20% -- far above similar figures before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to
In the run-up to the holiday weekend, they cited data indicating that roughly 40% of delays so far this year "were due to circumstances within the airlines' control, the highest figure in over a decade."
Flight cancellations and significant delays "have real-world consequences for the travelers who may miss vacations, sacrifice time with loved ones, or incur significant financial costs," they wrote in a letter to the top
"If an airline cancels a flight for any reason, the airline must promptly provide passengers refunds, as required by the law," they added. "As the
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