Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) saw slightly improved travel conditions on Christmas Day compared to the chaos of Christmas Eve, but passengers still faced significant delays and cancellations during the busy holiday period.
The disruption at DFW followed a difficult Christmas Eve, when American Airlines temporarily halted takeoffs for about an hour due to vendor technology issues. Storms in North Texas compounded the situation. FlightAware reported over 800 delays and more than 140 cancellations at DFW on Christmas Eve. While Christmas Day saw some relief, the airport still recorded over 300 delays and over 75 cancellations.
Among those impacted were the Thompson family, who missed their connecting flight to Florida after an American Airlines delay. The family’s plans for a Christmas poolside in Orlando were dashed as they were stranded in Dallas. “It’s pretty bad, especially on Christmas. My wife’s stressed out, she’s just ready to go,” said Sam Thompson. His daughter added, “It’s kind of upsetting because we’re supposed to be at the pool having fun but we’ve been here a long time.”
This holiday travel disruption comes on the heels of similar issues at DFW earlier this year. On Dec. 1, the airport experienced unprecedented vehicle traffic during the post-Thanksgiving rush, with some passengers resorting to walking along International Parkway carrying luggage to avoid missing flights. In response, DFW executives have implemented measures such as adding patrol officers, installing new signage, and suspending construction during peak travel times.
Officials expect around 5 million passengers to pass through DFW between Dec. 20 and Jan. 7. Travelers are being advised to arrive early and allow extra time during this busy period.
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