New York City – Travelers heading into the Labor Day weekend encountered significant delays at LaGuardia Airport on Thursday as storm systems moved in across the nation. Roughly half of the flights scheduled to arrive or depart were delayed, and only a small number of flights left on time.
Local families feel the impact
A group of seven passengers from the Bronx, traveling west for a family reunion, saw their departure pushed back more than two hours. “I don’t want to be in the air when it starts storming. I don’t like turbulence. Turbulence on its own without the storm is bad enough,” said Norma, who was hoping to beat the approaching overnight storms.
Airlines brace for the busiest holiday travel period
The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen close to three million travelers over Thursday, Friday and Monday, as more than 280,000 flights are projected for the Labor Day weekend. While cancellations remained limited, the sheer volume of travelers amplified the effect of weather‑related slowdowns.
Connecting passengers also suffer
Laura, who was connecting through Chicago, described a chain reaction of delays. “Chicago was, like, seemingly the big hang up for delays. So, we were delayed. Our original flight was delayed. We were lucky, honestly, that our connecting flight was delayed. Otherwise, we would have missed it altogether,” she explained.
Some flights see only minor setbacks
Not every traveler faced long waits. Tony, arriving from Toronto, reported a delay of about 20 minutes. “I was looking at the radar on my phone. I see if the weather’s going to be bad here. And usually when you come in from Toronto, whatever happens there, 24 hours later, we get smacked. So, this is relatively okay,” he said.
Road traffic remains heavy
Drivers heading to airports or holiday destinations also encountered congestion on Thursday. Gasoline prices averaged $4.14 per gallon, roughly a dollar more than a year ago, adding to the cost of travel.
Advice for Friday travelers
AAA warned that the busiest stretch of road travel on Friday will be between noon and 8 p.m. Motorists heading to airports are urged to allow extra time, while weather forecasts suggest more favorable conditions for air travel later in the weekend.
As New Yorkers prepare for a busy holiday weekend, the combination of stormy weather and high travel demand underscores the importance of planning ahead, checking flight status frequently, and allowing additional time for both air and road journeys.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
