Travel

Flight delays, cancellations at RDU on Memorial Day

Friday and Monday will be the busiest days at Raleigh-Durham International Airport over Memorial Day weekend.

Posted Updated

By
WRAL staff
MORRISVILLE, N.C. — At least eight departing flights were canceled or delayed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Monday, the second busiest travel day of the holiday weekend.

RDU officials predicted nearly 37,000 passengers will travel on Memorial Day, but with so many flight cancellations and delays, it’s been a challenge for some.

Across the country, thousands of flights have been canceled due to weather and staff shortages. Before you head to the airport, make sure to check in with your airline for updates.

“It’s always hard to tell what the impact of weather will be, but of course, if we have storms, you might expect to see some delays and cancellations,” said RDU Director of Media Stephanie Hawco. “Sometimes, you’ll see a ripple effect.”

Hawco estimated 138,000 passengers would pass through RDU between Friday and Monday. It's an increase compared to the approximate 103,000 passengers during the same four-day timespan in 2021.

On Friday, Hawco said extra TSA staff would be at the airport on Friday and Monday to accommodate for the travelers. She also said TSA is utilizing new technology that expedites the screening process and allows some passengers to keep items in their bags.

While air travel continues to boom despite soaring ticket prices, there is a pilot shortage that could force airlines to ground flights.

“I’ve noticed an increase by probably about 20 to 25% not just the airfare but the prices in the terminal for drinks for food the price of parking across-the-board,” said RDU traveler Christian Miles.

The latest data shows airfare prices were up by 18.6 percent in April — the largest one month surge since 1963.

Miles said he travels about six times a year and estimates he'll be spending thousands more than usual.

"I'm not getting a 20 percent raise every year so it's cutting into my budget," said Miles.

Families said they're also spending much more on air travel.

“Luckily, our little one is a lap child still so it’s part of why we decided to just bite the bullet and pay the extra for a little guy," said RDU traveler Katie DiPaolo. "We haven’t gone home in two years with the pandemic, so we decided to spend the money anyway."

Mike Walden, an economist at North Carolina State University, said it'll be years before prices go down. For now, Walden said one of two things will happen.

"People will say, 'I don't like it' and 'I'm ready to pay for it because I want to have fun' or we may have people say, 'no' and drive and stay closer to home which will pull the demand down," said Walden

In April and May, Frontier has launched eight new routes to and from RDU.

“We are very excited about their continued and growing investment here in Raleigh-Durham,” Hawco said of Frontier’s expansion.

Travelers are encouraged to arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights. They should also check their flight status.

 Credits 

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.