Weather, operational challenges to blame

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Passengers stranded in Puerto Rico due to Spirit Airlines delays

Spirit Airlines passengers said they were stranded in Puerto Rico on Monday, August 2, after the airline canceled flights on August 1. (Credit: Tito Arias via Storyful)

Spirit Airlines says it is working “around the clock” to accommodate passengers affected by delays and cancellations at several of its hubs due to “weather and operational challenges” over the weekend.

A company spokesperson told FOX TV Stations that many of the problems the airline faces stem from its attempts to meet demand for air travel, which has increased dramatically during the holiday season. ‘summer.

“It’s a mix of challenges facing the entire industry during this busy travel season as all airlines begin to scale up operations again,” according to an emailed statement from Spirit.

According to FlightAware, on Monday, the airline had canceled a total of 434 flights and delayed a total of 467 flights since Sunday.

“The majority of flights are still scheduled as planned,” a Spirit spokesperson said.

Spirit Airlines plane on the tarmac.

RELATED: Spirit Reportedly Canceled Flights To, From Philadelphia International Airport

“We understand how frustrating it is for our clients when plans change unexpectedly, and we strive to find solutions. We ask customers to actively monitor their email and flight status before going to the airport. As a team, we strive every day to get our guests where they need to go on time. Our goal will remain to take care of our guests, ”the airline said.

From Philadelphia to Orlando, hundreds of customers faced delays of several hours, some even waiting 12 hours to speak to a Spirit Airlines representative to reschedule flights.

Cancellations have been reported at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Atlantic City Airport.

Passengers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reportedly claimed the cancellations were due to a pilots’ strike, but Spirit told FOX TV stations the information was inaccurate.

RELATED: Many Stranded at Orlando Airport After Spirit Airlines Canceled Hundreds of Flights

Air travel to the United States is reaching new heights in the era of the pandemic as airlines scramble to keep up with summer vacation crowds.

Despite the growing number of COVID-19 infections fueled by the delta variant, the United States recently set a new record for air travel on Sunday, with more than 2.2 million people passing through checkpoints in airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

That’s nearly 11,000 more people screened than July 18, and the highest number since February 28, 2020, before the United States was hit hard by the pandemic. However, air travel was still down 17% on Sunday compared to the same Sunday in 2019.

RELATED: Fully Vaccinated US & EU Visitors Can Visit England Without Quarantine

About 7,400 flights arrived at least 15 minutes late Sunday – the government’s definition of delay – and more than 900 have been canceled, according to the FlightAware tracking service.

Nearly half of the cancellations were at the Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport, which was hit by afternoon and evening thunderstorms. The airport is American Airlines’ largest hub.

There have been at least 5,000 delayed flights almost every day since early July, according to figures from FlightAware. American, Southwest and Spirit are among the airlines with the biggest hitches.

At least 40% of Southwest and Spirit flights were delayed and 19% of Spirit flights were canceled on Sunday. Spirit canceled 32% of its noon flights on Monday.

RELATED: United States Extends Restrictions On Travel To Canada Until August 21

The resumption of travel faces a new threat to public health, as the number of new cases of COVID-19 continues to rise. The seven-day moving average of new infections in the United States is around 80,000 per day, up almost 150% from two weeks ago, although the increase in deaths is much smaller.

Airlines officials say they haven’t seen bookings suffer because of the delta variant, although some have said it could delay the return of business travel, which airlines were hoping to speed up. this autumn.

The Associated Press, FOX Business, and Storyful contributed to this report.

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