United Airlines put the brakes on all departures from Houston's Bush Airport today, citing punishing winter weather as the culprit. Travelers were hit with a wave of delays and cancellations as the airline announced a total ground stop at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), throwing a wrench into the day's flight schedules.
The Federal Aviation Administration backed this move with a ground stop order of their own due to hazardous freezing rain, as per a report by ABC13. At the height of the travel turmoil, an eyebrow-raising number of 349 delays were tallied on Monday alone. Those planning to travel through Bush Airport were advised to stay abreast with their respective airlines for timely updates.
In a statement obtained by Click2Houston, United Airlines addressed the circumstances with assurances that they were diligently tracking weather patterns across the nation to tweak their flight schedules as necessary. The statement read, “Winter weather has caused delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Our operations team continues to monitor weather developments across the country and adjust our schedule accordingly."
Further amplifying information to passengers, United Airlines encouraged the use of their mobile app and an 'Agent on Demand' service, allowing customers in need to evade long queues and get help through various digital channels. "We encourage travelers to download our mobile app and use our Agent on Demand tool, which enables them to bypass a line to speak with agents and get assistance via text, FaceTime or phone call,” according to the airline's statement. Meanwhile, William P. Hobby Airport hadn't sounded off on the weather impact, leaving many to wonder about the state of their operations amidst the frosty downpour.
