Numerous flight delays and cancellations in the U.S. following Thanksgiving

During the busy holiday period, travelers across the United States encountered significant disruptions at major airports, caused by winter storms and technical issues with a widely used airplane model. According to FlightAware, a total of 1,815 flights were delayed nationwide on Sunday morning, and 490 flights were canceled.

Major airports affected included Chicago, New York City, Boston, Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Detroit. Rail travel also experienced interruptions, as a fire broke out beneath three Amtrak train cars in Providence, Rhode Island. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and moved the train cars, and no injuries were reported. Amtrak has not yet provided details on broader service impacts.

A strong snowstorm swept through the Midwest and Great Lakes, initially disrupting flights in the days following Thanksgiving. National Weather Service offices issued multiple winter storm warnings and advisories stretching from Montana to Ohio. Officials warned of potential airport delays and slower traffic, particularly in areas where snow accumulation exceeded one inch per hour. Northern Iowa received more than 8 inches of snow, while Chicago airports canceled over 1,400 flights due to expected accumulations of up to 10 inches. Other affected regions included parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Detroit airports reported more than 300 delays and several cancellations as the storm progressed. Airlines also faced disruptions after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a directive requiring software updates for thousands of Airbus A320 aircraft worldwide. This included aircraft used by high-profile passengers, such as Pope Leo XIV in the Middle East.

JetBlue canceled around 170 flights on Sunday to perform FAA-mandated software updates on some Airbus A320 and A321 models. The airline expected nearly 120 planes to complete the update by Sunday morning, with around 30 remaining. JetBlue noted that additional cancellations could occur as updates continued, emphasizing efforts to reduce passenger disruptions during peak holiday travel. FlightAware data indicated that 74 JetBlue flights scheduled for Sunday were canceled, roughly 7% of its daily schedule.

Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines also confirmed some of their Airbus aircraft required FAA-directed software updates. Frontier completed their updates by Sunday morning without affecting passengers. Spirit anticipated finishing updates on Saturday and aimed to minimize disruption to operations and travelers.

Author: Sophia Brooks