American Airlines dumped a quarter of its flights systemwide on Thursday, while 71% of all airline operations were cancelled at American’s largest hub, Dallas – Fort Worth, according to data from FlightAware. Meanwhile, with miserable weather in the area, cross-town Dallas Love Field saw 47% of flights cancelled.
DFW is sometimes derided as standing for ‘Doesn’t Function Wet’ considering the operational challenges it seems to face whenever it rains. But the airport clearly doesn’t function icy, either. And American and airport leaders indirectly traded barbs at each other over its issues on Thursday.
Aviation watchdog JonNYC highlighted that the airline’s ops was telling pilots that DFW had run out of fluid to de-ice runways, and as a result planes would not be able to land there.
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) January 9, 2025
DFW airport, for its part, denied being out of fluid to treat the runways.
We are aware of posts claiming that DFW is out of runway deicing materials. We have ample supplies and crews have been working hard to keep the airfield moving safely as weather allows. Don't forget to add extra drive time on the roads tonight and tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/5zpfwSBccx
— DFW Airport (@DFWAirport) January 9, 2025
American, though, was telling its crews that this was the issue and they, in turn, were telling that to customers.
American Airlines specifically announced as the reason they were deplaning us that the airport had run out of deicing fluid for both the runway and the planes
— now sadieh on bIue$ky (@SadieTweetsHere) January 9, 2025
That’s what our flight crew told us.
— Sam Nicholls (@SamNicholls) January 9, 2025
Then why did our flight turn around in the air and fly all the way back? The airline said you ran out of material to treat the runway. This is incompetence.
— Daniella See (@Daniel_See_1139) January 9, 2025
And, of course, it wasn’t just American’s flights diverting and holding at their origin – though the formal ground stop was issued only for American. Yet the airline and airport couldn’t quite get their stories straight.
Update: While American Airlines employees from dispatch to gates were pointing fingers at the airport, the carrier’s management is not doing so. According to a spokesperson,
It’s been all-hands-on-deck for the American team — many of whom braved the weather to staff our airports, flights and operations center to take care of our customers and keep our airline moving. Still, the effects of Winter Storm Cora cannot be understated.
The storm continues to bring freezing rain, sleet, snow and freezing temperatures that amount to incredibly difficult operating conditions — conditions that, for many parts of Thursday, prevented flights from being able to safely depart.
Though Friday morning’s conditions will limit our operation, our entire team is focused on and gearing up to recover our airline quickly once the operating conditions improve. Leading up to and throughout this storm, safely caring for our customers has been our singular focus, and we apologize for the inconvenience this winter weather has caused.
They do not suggest either side lacks de-icing fluid, and aren’t blaming that as a reason for airport runway closures.
Well, in your opinion, which entity is known for lying to their customers?
Either way. It’s the airports responsibility to maintain runway and taxi way areas. I mean delta flights diverted from dtw to mem back to dtw. And that’s aa fault? What a dumb article. Instead if bashing the airport yoir bashing aa. Shame on you .
Reminds me of the Atlanta ‘Snowpocalypse’ in 2014. Like, it was just a little snow and ice, but because that region is less used to it, that storm practically paralyzed the metro area. Oh, wait, this storm affecting DFW is literally headed to ATL, now. Ok, gonna be a bad week for AA and DL. Yikes.
Relatedly, will our incoming ‘god-king’ blame the governor of Texas for this mix of natural causes and incompetence, like he blames the fires in California on its governor. Nope. It’ll be crickets.
I know, I know… it’s 2025, and irony, hypocrisy, decency, and accountability are all dead, but still, you gotta admit, maybe, just maybe, actually helping each other get through hard times might be better for the society. Nah. Everyone for themselves! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Ah, the shit-kicking sure is fun, isn’t it?
DFW Airport was even posting photos of its supposed stockpile of runway deicing material getting loaded into trucks.
Say Gary, it really would be nice if you would provide the rest of us with a way to mute @1990.
I work at DFW and can tell you that it takes an Act of God to get a facility maintenance issue fixed as the Airport has outsourced much of the work!! And no one seems to know which contractor is responsible for what!! Our gate house air conditioner went out last summer and it took the contractors over a week and a half to replace it!! Heard ALL of the excuses from DFW NOT wanting to spend the money to replace it, to it needs a new compressor and there aren’t any in stock, to it’s an electrical issue and we had to order one from China!!
Give me a freaking break!! Also tried for almost a year to get my gate markings repainted as they were beyond recognizable! Was told that it had been requestioned!! Finally was told that DFW had turned that department back over to AA but there was no money in the piggy bank at the time to do it!! Finally last September it was finally accomplished!!
@TexasTJ
The truth hurts, doesn’t it. Much easier to silence those you disagree with.
What do they say: ‘Can’t handle the heat? Get outta the kitchen!’
Where’d all the ‘free speech absolutists’ go?? Blah, blah, ‘cancel culture’ blah.
Gary has not censored anyone that I know of—not even the recent commenter who used the n-word, with the hard-r, in a separate post.
So, in your (or anyones) opinion, what warrants my desired banishment?
I’d think Gary actually appreciates any and all engagement, because as big tech taught us: the more outrage, the better. Hope he gets more clicks, referrals, and ad revenue. I support his blog. Good for Gary.
Also, you may have noticed, I take the time and care to actually comment on the topic at hand, not just randomly attack other individuals here. Perhaps.. it is you, good sir, from Texas, yee-haw, the state whose airport is affected by this storm, the one with the cowboys, should be the one muted. Or not, because I enjoy your hate. Feed me, like DFW should have fed its supply of de-icing fluids in-advance of this storm. See what I did there? Full-circle. Nice.
Here’s the issue. Dallas doesn’t get a lot of wintery weather and holding large stocks of de-icing fluid is expensive and neither the airport or the airlines want to bear the cost so when an event like this occurs they are caught flat footed.
Wait a minute. Gruesome isn’t a god-king in his own mind. He & Pelosi destroyed California without any help from the wrath of nature.
@1990 – right on brother!! Preach.
@TexasTJ – I’m a life long Texan (unfortunately) and people like you give Texans a bad name bro. Let me guess – live in E. Texas maybe Kilgore, Tyler, Hickville????
@Joanie Adams
California, other than these recent wildfires, is doing just fine–quite well, actually. In fact, LAX, even with the fires, is operating without issue, unlike DFW with its winter storm.
@UnTexasJS
I’ve enjoyed the times I’ve visited Texas and its neighbors. Hope to return sometime soon for hiking at Big Bend NP. As far as aviation is concerned, they get some decent stuff, too. First a220 I flew on was out of Austin with Delta a few years back–loved it. And the UnitedClubs at IAH have those delicious tortillas with eggs and bacon for breakfast. Yum. Wish they’d do that elsewhere.
DFW is a shitty airport and AA is a shitty airline.