ROMULUS, Mich. – Detroit Metropolitan Airport issued a ground delay on Monday as snow squalls and high winds hit the region, causing widespread flight disruptions during the busy holiday travel rush.
The Federal Aviation Administration expects the ground delay to remain in effect until 11:59 p.m., Dec. 29, with arriving flights facing average delays of one hour and 10 minutes due to runway maintenance.
The disruption follows an earlier FAA ground stop specifically affecting Delta flights early Monday morning, which was lifted around 8 a.m.
“We got an email this morning saying it was delayed, and then we just got another email like a minute ago saying it’s now delayed for an additional 40 minutes,” one traveler said.
Most passengers reported delays ranging from 40 minutes to two hours.
Some faced more significant disruptions, including James Blohm, whose flight to New Orleans was canceled. He said he waited more than three hours to get his luggage back.
Airport maintenance crews worked nonstop to clear snow from the tarmac and runways as visibility dropped dramatically. Video from Local 4 showed planes nearly disappearing into the snow squalls.
Airport officials continue to monitor weather conditions as snow removal operations remain ongoing. Travelers are advised to check their flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport.
As of Monday evening, DTW reported 435 delays and 72 cancellations, according to FlightAware.
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Departure delays an average of 1 hours 15 minutes (and decreasing)
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Arrival delays for airborne aircraft of 31 minutes to 45 minutes (and increasing)
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