Passengers traveling to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport should be prepared for disruptions caused by cold weather from a storm system.
On Thursday, January 8, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a ground stop at Sky Harbor Airport due to thunderstorms. Surface parking hours are 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
The company also ordered ground delays at Sky Harbor Airport on Thursday, January 8, due to cloudy weather. According to the FAA’s National Airspace System Status website, flights are delayed by an average of 29 minutes.
There was a ground delay on Wednesday, January 7, with afternoon and evening flights delayed by more than an hour.
When flight disruptions occur, Sky Harbor staff generally advise passengers to check flight status with the airline before arriving at the airport. Here’s what travelers should know about Thursday’s ground delays.
Why are there delays at Sky Harbor Airport?
Flights at Sky Harbor Airport have been delayed in recent days as a storm system brought cloudy and cold weather to Phoenix.
The National Weather Service in Phoenix is forecasting scattered showers and localized thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening that could bring heavy downpours, gusty winds, lightning and “pea-sized” hail.
Ground delays went into effect at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and are expected to last until 4:59 p.m., according to the FAA.
How many flights are delayed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport?
As of 12:45 pm on Thursday, January 8, Sky Harbor Airport had 201 flights delayed and one flight canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
According to FlightAware, airlines had 207 delays and five cancellations on Wednesday, January 7, partly due to previous ground delays.
What is terrestrial delay?
According to the FAA, the FAA can order a ground delay when a flight to an airport experiencing adverse conditions must delay departure.
It can also order the ground to stop when it is unsafe for a flight to take off or land at an airport.
The FAA will not cancel flights.
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who has been covering the travel and tourism industry since 2014. His work as a consumer travel reporter for The Arizona Republic aims to help readers relieve travel stress and get the most value from their vacation. He can be contacted via: michael.Salerno@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared in The Arizona Republic: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport ground stop order. what to know