Overview
- Flight tracking service FlightAware recorded a sharp rise in disruptions with roughly 5,250 delays and 356 cancellations reported Wednesday and just over 6,000 delays by Thursday afternoon.
- Major carriers including Delta, American, United and Southwest issued fee-free rebooking or cancellation waivers for passengers on affected routes to reduce travel uncertainty.
- The National Weather Service and AccuWeather forecast tropical-storm-force winds, flash flooding and pockets of up to 20 inches of rain along the Texas and Louisiana coast while the Mid‑Mississippi and Ohio Valleys face damaging winds, large hail and possible tornadoes.
- Chicago O’Hare and other large hubs saw some of the heaviest operational impacts, with hundreds of delayed or canceled flights that are likely to ripple through schedules over the next days.
- U.S. Department of Transportation rules require refunds for canceled flights but do not force airlines to pay for weather-related delays, so passengers should use waivers, rebooking options or preexisting travel insurance if they want compensation.