DALLAS (AP) – Business trips and vacations were disrupted for tens of thousands of travelers yesterday as American Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights – nearly half its schedule – to fix faulty wiring that could cause a short-circuit or even a fire and explosion.
It was the latest – and largest – in a wave of cancellations at major U.S. airlines that have caused long lines at ticket counters and made flying even more stressful than usual.
Executives at American said safety was never compromised, and they suggested the nation’s biggest airline was the victim of suddenly stepped-up scrutiny by federal regulators.