This US state could be to blame for mass flight cancellations and delays

Mass flight cancellations and long delays have been widespread this year, particularly during the summer months, as airlines reduce their schedules and the frequency of flight routes due to staff shortages and other pandemic-related issues.

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Although the problem appears to be widespread in major cities across the United States, a new report indicates that a specific state may be responsible for the vast majority of theft issues: Florida.

According to a new Wall Street Journal report, the majority of flight delays and cancellations can be attributed to flight issues to and from the Sunshine State. Data shows that nearly a third of all flights by major US airlines (Delta, JetBlue, United, etc.) must pass through Florida airspace.

However, what happens in this airspace is beyond the control of the airlines, from air traffic to bad weather to a number of other possible delays and distractions.

And although New York's LaGuardia Airport has made headlines in recent months for massive cancellations and disgruntled passengers (it's been cited as the worst airport for cancellations in the United States), the one of Florida's largest hubs, Miami International Airport, managed to crack the top 10 with over 3.7% of total canceled flights.

The U.S. Transportation Bureau's most recent data on flights from April 2021 to March 2022 revealed that four of the top five lowest-ranked airports by percentage of on-time arrivals were all in Florida: Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa.

“Many factors contribute to flight delays and cancellations in Florida. The number one cause of airline flight delays and cancellations is convective weather in Florida. ", the FAA said in a statement. this past May. “The FAA works with airlines to share information to keep aircraft moving safely when weather and other airspace events limit capacity. The FAA places additional air traffic controllers at facilities in Florida to support our long-term staffing strategy to meet increased traffic demand.”

In fact, the delays and cancellations were so severe that the FAA convened a two-day conference with airlines and aviation industry leaders to address the continuing flight problem in Florida, particularly in the Jacksonville area.

An estimated 36% of visitors to the Sunshine State last year came by air, with an estimated 122 million people visiting the state, not including residents.

As of Tuesday morning, there were approximately 1,070 delayed flights in the United States, with 64 cancellations in total.