Canceled flights mar first weekend of summer for travelers

Airlines Masks

In this Feb. 2021 photo, a passenger wears a face mask to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as he waits for a Delta Airlines flight at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. More than 1,000 airline flights were canceled as of Saturday afternoon, May 28, 2022, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, where Delta is based, and has its largest hub, is heavily affected by the travel snags. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The unofficial start of summer over the Memorial Day weekend offers a troubling glimpse of what lies ahead for travelers during the peak vacation season.

U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,800 flights from Thursday through Monday, or about 2% of their schedules, according to tracking service FlightAware.

Delta Air Lines, usually among the top performers, had the worst record among major carriers with more than 800 canceled flights over the five-day span.