CHARLOTTE – Hundreds of flights were delayed and more than a hundred canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Sunday, according to the website FlightAware.
Most of the delays were caused by American Airlines and its subsidiaries, PSA Airlines and Piedmont Airlines.
Of the cancellations, nearly 60 were from American Airlines, more than 30 from PSA Airlines, six from Endeavor Air, two from Jazz Air and one from Envoy Air.
Of the more than 500 delays, nearly 300 were by American Airlines, more than 100 by PSA Airlines, and more than 30 by Piedmont.
American Airlines told Channel 9 that weather and air traffic control activities were largely to blame for the delay.
A representative said the weather creates a domino effect that creates the perfect storm for delays and cancellations.
Air traffic control sometimes implements ground delay programs or ground stops that effectively control the volume of incoming flights.
Weather delays can affect the flight sequence of crews, causing some of them to be displaced or expired and unable to fly.
Passenger Carolyn Roberts said she understood some things were out of the airline’s control, but said she wanted more notice.
“No one called to tell me my flight was delayed or canceled or anything, so I could have been in Connecticut with my daughter, and now I’m here, and I don’t know when I’m going to get home,” said. Roberts.
Maria Zambrano said her travel headache started after arriving Saturday from the Dominican Republic.
“We were not sure if our flight was going to be canceled or going ahead and finally they canceled it. I had to find a hotel and go through the hassle of an Uber,” Zambrano said.
Passenger Danielle Olson drove from Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport to Charlotte because her flight was delayed and she feared missing her flight to Charlotte.
Olson came to Charlotte to face the same problem.
“We drove here for at least two hours, just checked in and the flight was delayed until a later flight time,” Olson said.
These travelers aren’t the only ones facing delays and cancellations this summer.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Charlotte Douglas was among the top five airports for worst delays this summer, with nearly 30% of flights delayed and more than 3% canceled.
