TAMPA, Fla. — Southwest Airlines canceled numerous flights this weekend across Florida due to air traffic control issues resulting from bad weather in northern Florida.
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed an air traffic management program that essentially grounded Southwest flights Friday, according to Emily Nipps, spokeswoman for Tampa International Airport.
TPA is continuing to experience flight delays at this time as a result of an FAA-imposed air traffic management program in response to bad weather to the north. This issue impacted all Florida airports.
The airline was forced to cancel flights Friday, which caused a domino effect into Saturday. Southwest flights were canceled into Saturday night. As of 1:30 p.m. Sunday, fewer than half of Southwest’s flights arriving and departing from Tampa International were canceled or delayed, according to flight statuses listed on Tampa International Airport’s website.
Southwest Airlines tweeted its own statement Saturday, saying the airline experienced air traffic control issues and is working to accommodate those affected by cancellations.
Some travelers took to Twitter to share stories about their canceled flights.
One account, TampaBayNightLife.TV, tweeted that they would miss the KISS concert scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre due to a canceled flight back to Tampa.
Another Twitter user, Dawn Gilberston, a travel reporter, said her flight to Tampa was canceled within 90 minutes after she booked it.
There were long wait lines Saturday night at Tampa International Airport where travelers tried to reschedule their Southwest flights, Nipps said. However, ticket lines shortened Sunday, as delays and cancellations waned. She warned any travelers, especially those using Southwest, to check their flight status before arriving at the airport.
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