89500 flights delayed! Over 1300 flights have been cancelled! US government and airlines respond to aircraft | airlines | US government
July 4th is a traditional holiday in the United States, and the American Automobile Association had previously predicted that approximately 4.17 million people would travel by plane on the weekend before this statutory holiday. However, during the weekend of July 1st to 2nd, flights to major airports in the United States experienced significant delays or cancellations. The US Department of Transportation attributes this situation to severe weather, while some airlines have stated that improper management by the Federal Aviation Administration is one of the main reasons for widespread flight delays and cancellations.
According to statistics from flight tracking websites, from July 1st to 2nd, a total of 89500 flights were delayed in the United States, and over 1300 flights were cancelled. The numbers from the previous few days were also astonishing: from June 26th to 28th, a total of 24000 flights were delayed and 5600 were cancelled; On June 29th, over 31000 flights were delayed and 770 flights were cancelled.
The US government and airlines each have their own reasons for this situation. US Secretary of Transportation Peter Butygig attributed the widespread delay or cancellation of flights to adverse weather conditions. He stated that last week, multiple hub airports were hit by extreme weather such as thunderstorms, while the Midwest region was affected by Canadian forest fires, resulting in severe air pollution and reduced visibility.
![89500 flights delayed! Over 1300 flights have been cancelled! US government and airlines respond to aircraft | airlines | US government](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/311788982bda5331a9a58812a1b2ed18.jpg)
However, airlines do not quite agree with this. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, stated that last week the departure and arrival rates of flights decreased by 75% and 40% respectively, reflecting a lack of manpower or experience by the Federal Aviation Administration. According to Fox Business News website, Joanna Geratti, Chief Operating Officer of JetBlue Airways, also stated that problems with the air traffic control system are the reason for the airline's efficiency decline.
On June 23rd, Reuters reported that an audit report released by the US government on the same day showed that key air traffic control facilities in the United States were facing personnel shortages, and the Federal Aviation Administration "lacked plans to address these issues.".