Budget Airlines Forced To Cancel Hundreds Of Flights Over The Weekend

JetBlue plane prepares for takeoff (Image: Getty)

Big-name budget airlines canceled hundreds of flights for a variety of reasons over the weekend.

JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines cited weather and air traffic control issues as the reason they were forced to cancel 13 and 14 percent of their flights respectively. Delays were also a problem over the weekend. Jet Blue postponed 34 percent of their flights while19 percent of Spirit’s flights failed to depart on time.

JetBlue’s official Twitter account replied to numerous unhappy fliers over the weekend directing travelers to the assistance they needed.

Spirit’s Twitter feed was filled with the same type of complaints.

JetBlue also cited staffing issues, even after hiring more than 3,000 employees this year, as a cause for their cancellations and delays. They have already cut down on their summer schedule, anticipating the busier season as more people are preparing to travel.

This is the second weekend in a row that was rough on airlines. Last weekend, over 10,000 flights were affected by technology and weather challenges in Florida.