Mother Nature wreaking some minor havoc on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
ARLINGTON, Va. — Strong winds caused flight delays Friday at Reagan National, Baltimore/Washington International and Dulles International airports, disrupting travel plans for hundreds of passengers heading out of the region ahead of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
A wind advisory across the area slowed departures and arrivals, leaving travelers anxiously watching departure boards as they prepared to leave town for the final weekend before Christmas.
At Reagan National Airport, some passengers said the delays added stress to an already hectic travel season.
“I’m a little stressed finding out my flight’s delayed,” said Olivia Aguirre, a University of Maryland sophomore traveling home to Long Island after finishing her final exam.
“Everyone was just working so hard to get to the end of the semester. Now we’re all just ready to go home and see our family and friends,” she exclaimed.
Justin Hill, who was traveling to Birmingham, Alabama, said he rushed to the airport only to learn his flight was running behind schedule.
“We were rushing so much to get here just to find out it’s an hour behind,” Hill said. “It hurt a lot.”
Hill said he was looking forward to spending Christmas with his grandparents and reconnecting with old friends.
Not all travelers were affected by delays.
“So far, my flight’s not delayed yet,” said Holly Graham, who said she was hopeful she would make it out on time. Graham, who serves in the military, said the trip home was especially meaningful after spending last Christmas deployed overseas.
“I’m super excited about being home and just getting to see everybody that I love,” Graham said.
Despite weather-related delays, airport officials encouraged travelers to continue checking their flight status and allow extra time, as holiday travel is expected to remain heavy through the weekend.