Air travel hits another pandemic high, flight delays grow Photo: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh. Travelers are lining up at O Hare airport in Chicago, Friday, July 2, 2021. The U.S. set another pandemic-era record for travel on Sunday, Aug. 1, with more than 2.2 million people going through airport checkpoints. That s the biggest number in 17 months, although travel is still not quite back to pre-pandemic levels. Associated Press Created: August 02, 2021 02:49 PM
Air travel in the U.S. is hitting new pandemic-era highs, and airlines are scrambling to keep up with the summer vacation crowds.
Despite rising numbers of coronavirus infections fueled by the delta variant, the U.S. set another recent high mark for air travel Sunday, with more than 2.2 million people going through airport checkpoints, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
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Air travel in the U.S. is hitting new pandemic-era highs, and airlines are scrambling to keep up with the summer vacation crowds.
Despite rising numbers of coronavirus infections fueled by the Delta variant, the U.S. set another recent high mark for air travel Sunday, with more than 2.2 million people going through airport checkpoints, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
That is nearly 11,000 more people screened than July 18, and the highest number since Feb. 28, 2020, before the U.S. felt the full brunt of the pandemic. However, air travel was still down 17% on Sunday from the same Sunday in 2019.
As air travel bounces back, flight delays, cancellations rise arkansasonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from arkansasonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Spirit Airlines canceled 165 flights on Sunday and more than 200 on Monday, and American canceled 500
Spirit pa
ssengers were left stranded throughout cities such as San Juan, Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale
American Airlines passengers in Dallas were worst hit on Monday, as the area experienced thunder storms
Dozens of travelers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations while they waited for updates from the airline
Videos showed travelers seated on the ground complaining of being hot and hungry in packed terminals
A Spirit spokeswoman blamed the cancellations on weather and other operational challenges.
The spokeswoman denied rumors that they may have been impacted by a pilot strike
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