Cancellations and delays at airports across the United States have continued to become a worsening problem as the summer progresses. Horror stories of students nearly missing exams trying to make it back to campus or family members stuck waiting for days to catch a flight overseas have plagued the news as travelers keep their fingers crossed that their flight isn’t the next to be canceled or delayed.
Reasons for the increase in delays and cancellations vary depending on who you talk to. The airlines cite staffing issues at air traffic facilities as the primary reason for all of the chaos. However, the Federal Aviation Administration blames airline staffing, heavy air traffic, and bad weather as the culprits.
With all this finger-pointing, the ones who really get the short end of the stick are American travelers.
A FlightNow analysis for CNN compiled a report of the worst airports in the US for cancellations and delays this summer. Airports in the New York area came in at the top with Newark Liberty and LaGuardia being the top airports in the country for canceled flights. Since May, 7.9 percent of all flights leaving Newark have been canceled.
Reagan National Airport in Virginia is number three on the list, followed by Raleigh-Durham and Cleveland Hopkins. New York reappears further down the list at number 9 with JFK. If you plan on flying at any of the airports listed below, travel advisors are suggesting checking and double-checking with your airline to ensure your flight isn’t canceled.
US airports with the highest percentage of canceled flights so far this summer:
Newark Liberty International Airport: 7.9%
LaGuardia Airport: 7.4%
Reagan National Airport: 5.4%
Raleigh-Durham International Airport: 4.3%
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport: 3.7%
Pittsburgh International Airport: 3.7%
Philadelphia International Airport: 3.6%
Boston Logan International Airport: 3.6%
John F. Kennedy International Airport: 3.5%
Charlotte Douglas International Airport: 3.4%
Chicago Midway comes in at number one for the highest percentage of delayed flights this summer with 36 percent of its flights being delayed since May 8. But Florida and New York still are dominating the list with the most airports in the top 10.
Newark and JFK have just as many delayed flights as canceled ones while three Florida airports are having a hard time as well, with more than a quarter of flights out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale being delayed.
US airports with the highest percentage of delayed flights so far this summer:
Chicago Midway International Airport: 36%
Orlando International Airport: 33%
John F. Kennedy International Airport: 31.1%
Newark Liberty International Airport: 30%
Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport: 30%
Miami International Airport: 28.3%
Charlotte Douglas International Airport: 27.8%
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: 27.2%
Denver International Airport: 27.2%
Harry Reid International Airport: 26.7%
Blame seems to be the name of the game when it comes to flight cancellations and delays this summer at American airports. And with so much blame being thrown around, the solutions are slim. Do your due diligence this summer when traveling by air to ensure you stay on top of your flight itinerary. If you don’t want to risk a higher chance of having your flight canceled or delayed, it may be best to avoid these airports altogether.
Related: Massive Airline Cancelations and Delays Amisdt Restriction-Free Summer