Aviation expert Jay Ratliff told the Dayton Daily News that even more cancellations due to the storm could be expected. He said it’s certainly possible that the number could increase to more than 10,000 in the next several days.
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“What happens is, if you’re scheduled for a Dayton to Los Angeles flight through Atlanta, some of the crew or the actual aircraft or flight attendants or pilots, might be rerouted because of the storm,” he said. “Then they’re not available to catch flight or take the flight they need to operate from Dayton to Atlanta.”
He said markets completely separate from the storm impact areas are being affected.
“That’s catching a lot of people off guard,” he said.
On Friday, the Dayton International Airport had flights canceled to and from Orlando, and another flight canceled coming from Washington. Five airlines fly out of the local airport — Allegiant Air, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines and American Airlines.
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For Saturday, American Airlines canceled flights from Dayton with a final destination of Charleston. Most of the flights — more than 10 — flew out of Dayton and had connections in Chicago or Charlotte.
American Airlines also canceled more than 15 flights from Dayton with a final destination of Savannah, Ga. on Saturday. The routes also had connecting flights in Chicago or Charlotte.
The origin airports with the most cancellations were: Orlando International Airport, Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Jacksonville International Airport, Charleston International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, and LaGuardia.
Many airlines were letting passengers alter their plans and delay travel for a few days without incurring the usual fee for changing a ticket, which can be $200 for domestic flights. Some, including United Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, also said they would waive the fare difference for the new ticket.
Airlines often cancel flights before storms hit to prevent passengers from being stranded at airports and to keep their planes in position to recover after the bad weather passes.
Flight patterns weren’t the only issue the Federal Aviation Administration has dealt with during the storm. The FAA is urging all drone and model aircraft enthusiasts to stay clear of areas affected by the storm.
Any unauthorized drone or model aircraft operations that interfere with disaster relief efforts are subject to civil penalties of up to $32,140 per violation and possible criminal prosecution.
During emergency response and recovery efforts, authorized aircraft may be flying at low altitudes over the affected areas.
“No one should be flying near disaster relief or recovery efforts, air ambulance or search-and-rescue operations unless they’re supporting those efforts,” said Dave Mathewson, executive director of AMA. “Keeping the skies clear during this critical time will help ensure that first responders can do their jobs safely.”
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