Memorial Day travel rush brings delays and crowds at DFW Airport
EDITOR'S NOTE: More than 3.7 million Texans are expected to travel over the Memorial Day weekend, a 3% increase from last year and the third consecutive year of record-breaking travel in the state, according to AAA.
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On Saturday, hundreds of passengers at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport experienced delays.
Airport officials said storms in some areas contributed to the disruptions.
"It was slightly delayed. It was a plane that arrived a little bit late, so about 30, 40 minutes," passenger Kara Boydston said.
"It was delayed. They said they had mechanical issues," Holly Iglesias said.
As of Saturday evening, FlightAware reported more than 400 delays at DFW.
"With travel, you have to be fluid," Iglesias said. "So you know, is it surprising? You'd hope not, but they do what they can."
Passengers also dealt with heavy crowds.
DFW airport officials said they expect 1.4 million travelers from Thursday through Tuesday.
"Yeah, it's a lot of people, but you know this is a major international hub," Iglesias said.
"I was stunned when I walked into the Phoenix airport this morning. I fly in and out of there several times a year, and the place was jam-packed," traveler Wayne Dobbs said.
American Airlines said it is operating more than 5,000 flights from DFW over the holiday weekend.
"In fact, we are operating nearly 900 flights a day out of DFW airport this weekend," said Jame Moses, senior vice president of DFW operations for American Airlines.
The airline said it is testing new technology to help passengers with connecting flights.
"Through technology, we are able to identify those flights, suggest a slight hold, and allow those customers to connect onto the departure so we get them to their final destination," Moses said.
With Memorial Day weekend marking the start of the summer travel season, American Airlines said it will offer more flights than ever before.
"In fact, 12% more seats than we offered pre-pandemic out of DFW," Moses said.
Between May and September, the airline will operate close to 100,000 flights from DFW.
