PHOENIX – flight cancellations have become a frequent topic lately. Many travelers had to change their plans or were stranded at Sky Harbor Airport. “We stood at the ticket booth and then went to get our luggage. Then we just checked our app to see which flights, what we were going to do – try to book hotels, try to find out all the shuttles. Can we get a rental car? Can we get another flight? ” says Jennifer Fulkerson, Traveler. Southwest Airlines postponed Jennifer Fulkerson’s flight back to Colorado Springs two days later. “They just booked it for us and said we would be home on Saturday,” says Fulkerson. Sky Harbor reported 31 canceled flights and more than 100 delays on Thursday alone. Both Southwest Airlines and American Airlines made headlines over this last month. This problem is not expected to slow down before the bank holiday weekend. “We were already sitting at the gate and got the SMS canceled, and then everyone went crazy,” says Marcus Dalrymple, traveler. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association says weather is currently a factor linked to staff shortages caused by pilots and others taking extended time off to avoid pandemic-related layoffs. American Airlines recently announced that it would cut hundreds of flights to avoid overloading operations as summer travel continues to rise faster than expected. “I would understand better if I had more resignation. The last-minute cancellation is what frustrates me because I was already on my way here and no one can tell me anything but ‘stand in line’,” says Katie Principe, traveler. The customer hotlines were up to an hour long. Most people find out about a delay or cancellation on the same day or within a few hours before departure, so they cannot come up with a replacement plan.
[ad_2]
