Travel turbulence
DFW Airport logs one of worst records for flight delays and cancellations in U.S., report says
If you’re planning to fly out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport over the holidays, buckle up. You could be in for a bumpy experience.
A new ranking from The Family Vacation Guide puts DFW at No. 3 among U.S. airports where you’re most likely to encounter flight delays or cancellations. The website’s review of federal data from July 2019 to July 2021 found 20.77 percent of flights at DFW were either delayed or canceled during the two-year period.
Only Newark Liberty International Airport (24.29 percent) and LaGuardia Airport (22.52 percent), both in the New York City area, fared worse in the ranking.
Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio International Airport ranked ninth (19.03 percent) for flight delays and cancellations.
It's not all bad news for North Texas. Despite the recent flight debacles involving Fort Worth-based American Airlines and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the two carriers don’t land in the top five of The Family Vacation Guide’s ranking of the U.S. airlines with the most flight delays or cancellations.
Allegiant Air takes the top spot (27.31 percent), followed by JetBlue Airways (23.2 percent), Frontier Airlines (21.24 percent), Envoy Air (19.52 percent), and United Airlines (18.6 percent).
American ranks sixth (18.55 percent) and Southwest ranks eighth (16.97 percent).
Whether it’s airports or airlines, the flying public could feel increased turbulence over the holidays as air travel is expected to climb to pandemic-era highs. A recent survey by professional services firm PwC found 40 percent of Americans plan to travel by air during the holiday season.
“A spate of high-profile flight cancellations has put a spotlight on worker shortages at U.S. airlines, triggering warnings of new delays over the holiday period as airlines scramble for staff,” the Reuters news service reports in reference to the recent American and Southwest meltdowns.
