America's busiest airports have descended into chaos during the critical Thanksgiving travel period, with widespread ground stops and significant delays causing havoc for millions of travellers.
Major Airports Brought to a Halt
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken the drastic step of issuing a ground stop at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. This major travel hub has been paralysed by a combination of equipment outages and adverse weather conditions.
Simultaneously, Chicago Midway International Airport is also under an official ground stop. The FAA cited 'low ceilings' as the cause, a term referring to low cloud cover that severely restricts visibility and makes it unsafe for pilots to take off or land.
Nearby Chicago O'Hare International Airport, one of the nation's most important aviation hubs, is also experiencing substantial delays for the same reason, compounding the travel misery in the region.
Worsening Conditions and Nationwide Impact
The situation is expected to deteriorate further. The FAA has already issued warnings about potential ground stops at major airports in New York and Washington later this afternoon, threatening to create a domino effect of travel disruption across the country.
The timing could not be worse. Approximately 82 million people are anticipated to travel at least 50 miles to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. Tuesday is projected to be one of the busiest travel days of the entire week, meaning the disruptions will impact a vast number of people.
A Perfect Storm for Travel Disruption
This developing situation presents a perfect storm for holiday travellers. The convergence of peak seasonal travel volume with multiple operational and weather-related challenges has created a cascade of cancellations and delays.
Passengers are being strongly advised to check with their airlines for the latest flight status before heading to the airport. With this being a breaking story, further updates from the FAA and individual airports are expected throughout the day.
