Storm Chaos: Major Flight Delays and Cancellations Grip U.S.

A massive storm system unleashed chaos across the United States on Monday, with more than 12,500 flights either delayed or canceled. Major East Coast airports, along with others scattered across the country, bore the brunt of the tempest's impact. High winds and severe thunderstorms led the Federal Aviation Administration to order delays at key hubs like New York's LaGuardia and JFK, Newark in New Jersey, and Reagan Washington National, to name a few.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the nationwide impact of the storm, which also caused disruptions in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Earlier, the FAA had imposed ground stops at Reagan National, Chicago O'Hare, and Charlotte, delaying flights further. As of 4 p.m. EDT, FlightAware reported 8,500 flights delayed and 4,000 canceled. Approximately 45% of American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines flights were affected, while United Airlines saw 36% of its flights disrupted.

The storm's reach prompted the U.S. government to direct federal employees in Washington, D.C., to leave their offices by 2 p.m. due to worsening weather conditions. Ground stops persisted at Houston Bush and Baltimore Washington International airports, with significant impact at Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare, and LaGuardia, where over half of the flights were delayed or canceled.