Airlines have been hit hard by the winter storm that swept across the country this weekend, but none were hit as hard as American Airlines. As of Tuesday, the company was still working to get back to normal after what it described as historic weather disruption.
The total number of flight cancellations fell sharply on Tuesday, with “only” 1,800 cancellations as of midday. More than 20,000 flights were closed between Saturday and Monday.
American has been much slower to recover than its competitors after the storm, dubbed a “fern storm” by The Weather Channel, disproportionately affected the airline’s busiest hub.
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As of 12:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday, American Airlines had canceled an additional 879 mainline flights, according to FlightAware. This accounts for about 30% of the day’s schedule.
The airline has also canceled hundreds of additional regional flights on its American Eagle fleet.
All told, the Fort Worth-based airline said the flight cancellations caused by the winter storm are the worst operational disruptions the airline has ever experienced, and it’s not over yet.
“We expect to see at least two more additional cancellations for at least two more days before we resume normal operations later this week,” American CEO Robert Isom said on the company’s earnings call on Tuesday.
Five of American’s nine hubs were hit by the storm. That includes the large hub of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which continued to lead all U.S. airports with 152 flight cancellations on Tuesday, FlightAware showed.
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Other U.S. hubs located squarely in the path of the storm include Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), the second busiest hub; Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), where nearly all flights were canceled on Sunday; Philadelphia International Airport (PHL); and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Flight cancellation rates at LGA and DCA were hovering around 20% as of noon Tuesday, with at least 10% of flights at CLT and PHL canceled.
In a letter to customers late Monday, the airline’s chief customer officer Heather Gabalden spoke of “all hands on deck” efforts to get operations back on track.
“We are deeply sorry for the disruption caused by this weather event,” Gaboden wrote. “We are grateful to our team members, many of whom are working overtime and continuing to brave the weather safely as they focus on caring for as many customers as possible.”
American Airlines is extending travel advisories for dozens of major airports through Thursday, making it easier for passengers to change, cancel or rebook travel.
Several other airlines have also extended travel warnings into the second half of the week due to ongoing disruptions.
Since this week’s flight cancellations are due to weather, it’s unlikely that American Airlines or its competitors will reimburse stranded passengers for meals and ground transportation (although you can always request it).
However, under federal policy, passengers whose flights were canceled or severely delayed are entitled to a refund if they choose not to fly, whether by driving, taking a train or booking themselves on another airline.
Among U.S. mainline airlines, Delta Air Lines reported the second-highest number of flight cancellations on Tuesday, with approximately 93 flights canceled as of early Tuesday afternoon, FlightAware reported.
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