US airlines delay hundreds of Labor Day flights
Labor Day weekend air travel was forecast to reach pre-pandemic levels
Travelzoo senior editor Gabe Saglie discusses flight protections for travelers in the event of a cancellation or delay on 'Cavuto: Coast to Coast.'
Hundreds of flights have been delayed or canceled by major U.S. airlines this Labor Day weekend.
As of 4:30 AM ET Sunday morning, there were 303 delays into or out of the U.S. and 51 cancellations, according to the flight tracker FlightAware.
There were more than 3,600 delays and 145 cancellations on Saturday.
These delays come as the American Automobile Association forecasts about 32% of Americans will travel this Labor Day weekend.
LABOR DAY HOLIDAY AIRFARE WILL COST 20% MORE THIS YEAR, REPORT SAYS
FILE PHOTO: A Southwest Airlines aircraft flies past the U.S. Capitol before landing at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., January 24, 2022. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo / Reuters Photos)
The federation predicts this will be the busiest Labor Day travel weekend in three years, reaching pre-pandemic status, according to Fox Weather.
After months of frustrating cancellations and delays, the Department of Transportation announced on Thursday that it had launched an airline customer service dashboard, resulting in "significant changes" from all but one of the ten largest U.S. airlines.
An electronic arrival board displays a canceled flight on Southwest Airlines from Philadelphia for travelers in Denver International Airport as the Labor Day holiday approaches Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski / AP Newsroom)
"Passengers deserve transparency and clarity on what to expect from an airline when there is a cancelation or disruption," Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "This dashboard collects that information in one place so travelers can easily understand their rights, compare airline practices, and make informed decisions."
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"The Department will continue to support passengers and to hold airlines responsible for adhering to their customer obligations," he pledged.
Previous summer cancellations have been blamed on staffing shortages, particularly among airline pilots.
Travelers queue up at the south security checkpoint in Denver International Airport as the Labor Day holiday approaches Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski / AP Newsroom)
While federal officials have blamed understaffing at airlines, airlines have pointed to staffing problems the Federal Aviation Administration.
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The rate of cancellations is up about one-third from the same time in 2019.
The rate of delayed flights is up by nearly a fourth.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.