ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — The holiday spirit is in the air around D.C. area airports, bringing with it hundreds of delays and cancellations.
On Friday, Reagan National Airport (DCA) topped the global list of flight cancellations on tracking site Flight Aware.
According to the site, DCA saw more than 500 delays and 120 cancellations. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a ground delay average of two hours was in effect for most of the day.
“Well, I had a nice flight planned at 10 o’clock this morning. Be home at noon. Home is just outside of Bangor, Maine,” Cokie Giles told 7News.
Giles said she got on the plane, only to sit on the tarmac for several hours before her flight was ultimately cancelled.
“So I’ve got a flight now at 10 tonight, so it’s 12 hours later,” Giles said.
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At baggage claim, 7News found some people coming to pick up relatives, only to find out they’d be coming in later due to weather delays.
“We’re picking up my mom. She just flew in from Boston,” Donnell Powell, Jr. said.
Powell suggests checking on your loved ones’ flight status ahead of making the trip to get them to save yourself from waiting around.
“Definitely call your folks before they come here because they might be here for like an hour or two later than what they expected,” Powell recommended.
As the holiday season continues and travel picks up, traffic can be a nightmare going to and from the airport. 7News suggests dropping off and picking people up at the Metro one stop away, like Crystal City or Potomac Yard.
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“Honestly, it wasn’t that slick, but people are driving crazy because of the weather,” Powell commented. “Stay vigilant out there while y’all driving.”
For traveler Adele Turner, trying to get home to Florida and reunite with her family after a week of work, the light coat of snow in the DMV Friday morning was only a sprinkle.
“I’m from upstate New York, like the capital region, Albany area, so you know, not a stranger to the snow and the cold,” Turner shared.
“This is nothing for you,” reporter Lianna Golden replied.
Turner agreed, “Yeah, it really isn’t. It’s not much.”
As always, she said to have patience, even when you least feel like it.
“My heart just goes out to all of the TSA workers, airline workers. They deal with so much, working 365, so as frustrating as it may be, I just know that they’re really working hard,” Turner expressed.
Dulles International Airport (IAD) saw more than 300 delays on Friday and 6 cancellations.
Baltimore/Washington International Airprot (BW) saw more than 230 delays and only one cancellation.
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