Why Were So Many Spring Break Flights Canceled?

This weekend, airlines called off over 3,500 flights in the U.S. and delayed many others, citing weather issues in Florida and additional factors.

FlightAware, a flight tracking service, reported significant disruptions at several Florida airports, including Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando, as well as in Baltimore, New York City, and other locations nationwide. Local reports indicated storms hit Florida on Saturday.

JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Spirit, and American Airlines faced the most cancellations, with JetBlue and Spirit scrapping a third of their Sunday flights. Several airlines announced on Sunday that they were returning to normal operations.

This wave of cancellations came as air travel is recovering from the pandemic, with a strong demand for spring break flights. Many social media users expressed frustration over long wait times on hold or in lines to reschedule their canceled flights, with some stranded for days.

A JetBlue spokesperson stated in an email, "Severe weather in the Southeast and various air traffic control delay programs have significantly impacted the industry. Today's cancellations will help us realign our operations and safely reposition our crews and aircraft."

Southwest Airlines also reported "weather and airspace congestion" in Florida on Saturday, along with a "technology issue." The airline canceled about 1,000 flights over the weekend but indicated that, as of 1 p.m. Eastern, no further cancellations were expected on Sunday.

American Airlines mentioned that Saturday's weather in Florida affected its operations, and the airline was in the process of recovering today.

Alaska Airlines appeared to be facing a distinct issue. The airline announced on Sunday that cancellations over the weekend, which began on Friday, impacted more than 37,000 customers, with the possibility of additional cancellations. While it did not specify reasons for the cancellations, it referenced contract negotiations with its pilots. Off-duty pilots staged protests in several U.S. cities on Friday due to stalled contract talks, having gone without a new agreement for three years.

According to the pilots union, "Alaska Airlines did not adequately prepare for the surge in travel demand and failed to implement measures necessary to attract and retain pilots," stated in a press release on Friday.