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Summer weather creating stormy climate for US airlines
Airline travelers across the US, but particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, are finding summer storms are leading to delays and cancelled flights.
US Airways alone had more than 11,000 flights delayed during the last two week of June because of bad weather. That represented 40% of its operations.
Weather has “presented the most challenging operations that we have had since 2004,” said US spokesman Phil Gee.
The Federal Aviation Administration this week is hoping a new system will help reduce delays and cancelled flights.
“The Airspace Flow Program will allow air traffic controllers to more efficiently halt and delay air traffic because of weather,” wrote The Washington Post.
The system uses computers to help controllers better target flights delayed because of bad weather.
Winter snowstorms are usually associated with airline delays but summer showers are more disruptive, say airline officials.
Thunderstorms are more of a problem because unlike snowstorms, they affect a larger area.
Some airline travelers have reported frustration by seeing fine weather at the airport when they still were facing delays.
How much longer will the storms last?
At least another month.
“It’s still early in the storm season,” said Ellen King, an official with the FAA.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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