(CNN) — More than 600 flights were canceled and thousands more were delayed across the United States on Saturday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Saturday marked the third day of major flight cancellations after thunderstorms battered major East Coast airports on Thursday, making it one of the worst days for flight cancellations in six weeks.
This summer tourist season has been plagued by flight cancellations and delays as airlines grapple with staff shortages, bad weather and air traffic control delays.
As of Saturday evening, at least 636 flights to, within or outside the United States were canceled and an additional 5,921 domestic flights were delayed, according to FlightAware.
Newark Liberty International and Chicago Midway International topped the list of US airports with the most canceled flights, the flight-tracking website said.
American Airlines canceled 4 percent and delayed 24 percent of its flights Saturday, according to the site.
Meanwhile, United had 4% of flights canceled and 23% delayed, and Delta had 2% canceled and 22% of flights delayed, FlightAware reported.
About 41 percent of JetBlue flights and 36 percent of Southwest flights were also delayed Saturday, according to the website.
“We continue to deal with various weather-related challenges across the country this weekend,” Southwest Airlines said in a statement to CNN on Saturday. “Our teams are working to get our customers to their destinations safely and as quickly as possible.”
CNN has reached out to other domestic carriers for comment on Saturday’s flight delays and cancellations.
Amid a wave of canceled flights and a deluge of passenger complaints, the US Department of Transportation on Wednesday proposed expanding the circumstances under which airline passengers can receive refunds.
The department said it has been inundated with complaints from airline passengers seeking refunds since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The proposed recovery rules come after a private meeting in June that Pete Buttigieg held with airline CEOs, where he told them to adjust flight schedules that were affected by thousands of canceled flights.
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