JetBlue and others cancel thousands of flights this weekend
It's been a messy weekend for air travel with several airlines canceling or delaying thousands of flights due to severe weather combined with air traffic control problems and technical issues.
JetBlue Airways was particularly hard hit on Sunday, with a quarter of its flights canceled by midday, as the airline attempts a "reset" amid mass disruption, according to a spokesperson for the carrier.
As of noon Sunday, JetBlue had canceled 272 flights which accounts for 25% of its schedule. Another 20% of scheduled flights were experiencing delays, according to data from FlightAware. This comes a day after the airline canceled 15% of its schedule and saw more than half of its flights delayed.
In a statement to TPG, a JetBlue spokesperson blamed the disruptions on severe weather in the Southeast along with problems related to air traffic control.
Travelers on JetBlue are not the only flyers who have faced disruptions this weekend though.
Related: Tips to overcome delays and cancellations
A combination of technical problems and severe weather in Florida prompted Southwest to cancel more than 500 flights Saturday, with nearly 400 more cancellations as of noon on Sunday. Spirit, Allegiant and American Airlines each canceled hundreds of flights over the course of the weekend as well, with 213 American cancellations Sunday as of midday.
Amid the bad weather in Florida, airports in that area have been the hardest hit: Orlando International (MCO), Miami (MIA) and Tampa (TPA) have seen significant cancellations and delays across multiple carriers. Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) along with New York-John F. Kennedy International (JFK) airports also ranked among the most impacted domestic airports on Sunday – both key hubs for JetBlue.
Related: How to cancel or change a JetBlue flight
In its statement to TPG, JetBlue said: "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and are working to get them on their way as quickly as possible."
Alaska Airlines also experienced disruptions in recent days amid picket lines and demonstrations as the airline's pilots fight for a new contract. After significant disruptions to it schedule Friday, Alaska Airlines was down to 8% of its flights canceled on Sunday.
Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app