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Nightmare Weekend as 1,800 Airline Flights Canceled

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Airline travelers experienced a weekend of widespread disruption with nearly 1,800 flights canceled within, into or out of the United States.
  • Union strikes were a primary cause, grounding Qantas Airways' entire fleet and forcing Air France to cancel many flights during a busy holiday period.
  • Compounding the travel nightmare was a severe and record-breaking snowstorm that caused major delays and temporary airport closures in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
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Union strikes and bad weather made this weekend miserable for the airlines and their travelers with nearly 1,800 canceled flights within, into or out of the United States, according to FlightAware.

A large number of the cancellations were Qantas Airways flights as union strikes grounded the airline’s entire fleet. By Monday, Fair Work Australia – an independent work relations tribunal – granted an application by the Australian government, effectively ordering union employees to return to work, according to a statement by Qantas. A 21-day negotiation period is now in effect.

Pia Bergqvist

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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