A powerful Pacific storm system slammed North Texas on Thursday morning, triggering widespread flight cancellations and delays at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and forcing aviation officials to issue ground stops across the region.
By 7 a.m., more than 150 flights had been canceled at DFW International Airport, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. The airport was also closing in on nearly 200 delays as the storm continued to dump heavy rain and raised the threat of flash flooding across the area.
The bulk of the cancellations were tied to regional carriers Envoy Air and PSA Airlines, both subsidiaries of American Airlines, which uses DFW as its primary hub. American Airlines itself had canceled 27 mainline flights as of 6:45 a.m., a comparatively smaller share of the overall disruption.
DFW Airport issued a ground stop running through 9:15 a.m. The Federal Aviation Administration also put a ground delay program in place through 9:59 p.m., meaning arriving flights could face an average wait time of approximately 78 minutes before being cleared to land.
Dallas Love Field, home to Southwest Airlines, experienced far fewer disruptions in the early morning hours. FlightAware data showed only 15 cancellations and 12 delays at Love Field by 7 a.m. Love Field also issued its own ground stop through 9 a.m.
The storm, originating off the Pacific Ocean, brought significant rainfall to the DFW metroplex and prompted concerns about flash flooding in low-lying areas throughout North Texas. Travelers heading to either airport were urged to check their flight status before leaving for the terminal.
Passengers with flights through DFW or Love Field should contact their airlines directly for rebooking options and monitor the FAA’s National Airspace System Status website for the latest updates on ground stops and delay programs as conditions continue to evolve throughout the day.