American Airlines Recovers Slowly From Fern As Crews Can't Reach Planes

Core Insights - American Airlines is facing significant operational challenges due to Winter Storm Fern, which has severely impacted its largest hub in Dallas [3][7] - The financial impact from the storm is estimated to be between $150 million and $200 million, with over 9,000 flights canceled in the past four days [3][5] - The airline's recovery efforts are hindered by staffing issues, as many crew members are unable to reach their flights [6][8] Operational Impact - Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) experienced a 17% cancellation rate, significantly higher than other hubs like Atlanta and Chicago O'Hare, which had cancellation rates of 3% and 1% respectively [4] - As of Tuesday morning, American Airlines had canceled 19.5% of its flights, compared to competitors like JetBlue (11%), Delta (6.5%), and United (1.5%) [3][4] - The airline's CEO described the impact of the storm as unprecedented, indicating that recovery would take at least two more days [5] Staffing and Customer Service Issues - Staffing shortages have led to many airplanes being stuck at gates due to missing pilots and flight attendants, complicating recovery efforts [6] - Passengers have reported being stranded, with hold times to reach scheduling services extending to 8-9 hours [6] - The airline's chief customer officer issued an apology to passengers, acknowledging the significant disruptions caused by the storm [9] Previous Challenges - The airline had already faced a $275 million impact from the recent government shutdown, which affected travel primarily at the Washington National hub [10]