Flight disruptions wreaked havoc across the United States on Sunday, leading to the cancellation of over 2,600 flights and causing delays for nearly 7,900 flights, as reported by FlightAware. The Northeast region bore the brunt of the disruptions, with airports experiencing a surge of thunderstorms throughout the day, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Among the affected airports, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey suffered the most significant impact, with 362 flights being canceled and 337 flights facing delays. Meanwhile, John F. Kennedy International Airport witnessed 318 cancellations and 426 delayed flights. LaGuardia Airport faced 270 cancellations and 292 delayed flights, while Boston Logan International Airport reported 259 cancellations and 459 delays, based on FlightAware’s data.
The disruptions also impacted major airlines. JetBlue, for instance, saw a notable 27% of its flights (283) being canceled and 43% (445) facing delays. Republic Airways, a regional airline, experienced similar challenges, with 32% (320) of its flights canceled and 20% (201) delayed. Another regional carrier, Endeavor Air, a subsidiary of Delta, faced 26% (174) cancellations and 18% (122) delays.
These figures highlight the significant disruptions caused by the severe weather conditions, resulting in widespread inconvenience for travelers and operational challenges for airlines across the affected regions.
“Slow-moving thunderstorms will cause delays this AM into early PM in the Northeast, Midwest & Southeast,” the FAA said on Twitter on Sunday.