Augusta flight cancellations mount as ice storm approaches

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Airlines are delaying and canceling flights as a massive ice storm closes in on Georgia this weekend.

The airline snags are affecting not only Augusta Regional Airport but also Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest, and one that most local fliers pass through.

In Augusta

While the cancellations at Augusta Regional Airport weren’t in the hundreds like Atlanta, they’re substantial.

CANCELED ARRIVALS

• American Flight 3462 from Dallas-Fort Worth (scheduled for 3:57 p.m. Saturday)
• American Flight 5896 from Charlotte (scheduled for 6:44 p.m. Saturday)
• Delta Flight 5477 from Atlanta (scheduled for 11:38 p.m. Saturday)
• American Flight 5848 from Charlotte (scheduled for 11:48 p.m. Saturday)

CANCELED DEPARTURES

• Delta Flight 5504 to Atlanta (scheduled for 5:12 p.m. Saturday)
• American Flight 5898 to Charlotte (scheduled for 7:09 p.m. Saturday)
• Delta Flight 5514 to Atlanta (scheduled for 5:45 a.m. Sunday)
• American Flight 5042 to Washington, D.C. (scheduled for 6 a.m. Sunday)
• Delta Flight 365 to Atlanta (scheduled for 6:50 a.m. Sunday)
• American Flight 3668 to Dallas-Fort Worth (scheduled for 7:08 a.m. Sunday)
• American Flight 5847 to Charlotte (scheduled for 8:08 a.m. Sunday)

In Atlanta

The world’s busiest airport has been even busier behind the scenes as crews prepare for the winter weather heading into Georgia on Saturday night.

The storm has already affected flights nationwide. According to FlightAware, more than 4,200 flights have been cancelled nationwide on Saturday. On Sunday, that number hits 9,000 — including more than 1,000 into and out of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Some passengers have already made arrangements to switch their flights to get ahead of the storm.

Mark Nevle said his daughter and about 30 other students from Blessed Kennedy Catholic High School are on their way back from March for Life in Washington, D.C.

“They were originally supposed to come back tomorrow, but the school had the foresight and good planning to change all the flights and get them back here today,” he said. “We were laughing, we were looking at the weather map, and you can see their flight coming in right next to the big storm that’s moving in.”

He said he’s glad to see their school being proactive, especially after the storm Atlanta saw back in 2014.

“I think when we were all here for ‘Snow-Palooza’ X number of years ago, I think everybody is a little more proactive now in what they do,” he said. “You put everything in God’s hands that everything is gonna work out fine. Get these kids home safe and sound.”

Delta offers flexibility

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, Augusta’s primary carrier, said winter storm waivers remain in effect through Monday. These provide flexibility for customers to adjust their travel plans at no additional cost in the Delta app or at Delta.com.

Delta works to give customers as much notice as possible about changes to their flights and is taking proactive actions to minimize disruption and aid in recovery efforts:

• Enacting flight cancelations well in advance of scheduled departures to allow customers more time and flexibility while away from airports.  
• Adjusting staffing levels with additional reserve pilots and flight attendants, as well as relocating experts from cold weather hubs to support deicing and baggage teams at several Southern airports. 
• Placing aircraft out of frozen precipitation, where possible, to aid in faster recovery efforts. Once conditions improve, aircraft will be repositioned to resume scheduled flying. 

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Customers have options if their flight is significantly delayed or canceled.

Delta automatically rebooks customers to the next best itinerary, and customers can make further changes via the Delta app and Delta.com.

Additional guidance includes:

• Customers who experience a cancellation and are not automatically rebooked should promptly contact Delta either at the airport or by reaching out to our Reservations team by phone or the Message Us option on the app, to identify alternative flight options. 
• Customers traveling on a U.S. domestic itinerary who experience a flight delay of three hours or more and choose not to fly — either on the original delayed flight or on a rebooked itinerary — are entitled to receive a full refund for the unflown portion of their ticket (including any ancillary fees paid or checked baggage charges). The same refund eligibility applies if a customer experiences a flight delay of six hours or more on an international itinerary and chooses not to fly.  
• If a flight is canceled and the customer chooses not to fly on their rebooked itinerary, Delta will initiate a full, automatic refund back to the original form of payment of the unflown portion of the ticket, following a 24-hour waiting period. 
• Per Department of Transportation automatic refund requirements, Delta will initiate an automatic ticket refund of the unflown portion of the ticket if we are unable to rebook the trip and have not heard from the customer to arrange an alternative flight. 

More information can be found on the refund and reimbursement section of Delta.com .

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