Delays, cancelations impact expected record Thanksgiving travel day at Denver International Airport
As the baggage claim carousels go round this Thanksgiving weekend, many Colorado travelers are thankful they're finally home.
"My flight was supposed to leave about 8:30, 8:45 this morning, and it didn't leave until 6 o'clock," Bob Conroy said about his journey from Chicago to Denver.
Another holiday traveler, Harper Ruark, said, "every time we looked at the screen, the flight was delayed more and more."
According to FlightAware, more than 700 flights at Denver International Airport were delayed on Sunday alone, alongside expected record crowds up 10% from this time last year.
Skyler McKinley, the regional spokesperson for AAA, explained, "we know that this is one of the busiest travel periods of the entire year."
This year, AAA estimated 6 million air travelers would travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, contributing to an overall expected travel record. Denver International Airport is also predicted to see a rise of about 10% more travelers here than this time last year.
And among those travelers, thousands were impacted by weather, software updates, or other issues that caused flight delays or cancellations.
Asked if airlines have any responsibility to make accommodations for travelers in the event of delays or cancellations. McKinley said most of the time, airlines aren't required to do much.
"I think a lot of travelers are surprised to learn, if there's a significant delay or cancellation, the airlines are not required to put you up in a hotel room, they're not required to buy you a meal," McKinley said. "They're not required to make you whole in any other way except refund your ticket fare if you opt not to travel."
But in the chaos of cancellations, some passengers found empathy.
"I got a real appreciation for how difficult the job is for the people that work at the airport. Those guys, they work their tails off," Conroy said.
And if delays come back this Christmas, passengers we spoke to say the risk of delays is worth it.
"Being with the grandkids, being with my kids, and all their friends. So yeah, it's definitely, it's, it's worth the effort," Conroy said.
