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What you should know after thousands of flight delays and cancellations over the weekend

Nearly 2,000 flights had been delayed across the United States by midday Monday, after more than 8,000 were delayed Sunday.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Close to 500 flights nationwide have already been canceled Monday, and more delays are expected.

But airline experts say there may be some relief on the horizon.

"The beginning of summer, was some of the worst we've seen in the U.S.," said Gunnar Olson, a flight deal analyst and reporter with Thrifty Traveler.

Olson says there are several factors affecting airlines like weather and staffing shortages, as thousands of flights were canceled or delayed over the weekend.

"What we are seeing is the slack has fallen out of the system for a lot of these airlines, they don't have the staff to make sure they can fly every single one of their scheduled flights," he said.

Nearly 2,000 flights had been delayed across the U.S. by midday Monday, after more than 8,000 were delayed Sunday.

"There's going to be summer weather which impacts flight delays and cancellations broadly," Olson said. "And obviously a delay in Dallas impacts flights coming out of MSP, Chicago."

The delays come days after the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed new rules for travelers entitled to refunds if their travel plans were disrupted, which includes if an airline changes the arrival or departure airport, the arrival/departure time by more than three hours or if they add an additional layover.

"In the U.S., if you're flight is cancelled, you are due a refund no matter what," Olson said. "Longer delays, the airlines don't necessarily have to take care of you if you have a major delay." He added that "We've seen some lawmakers make a push to garner extra protections and we've pushed for it, too."

But for those who still don't want to risk an added headache at the airport, Olson says you should "book the very first flight of the day," as well as avoiding checked bags and layovers. "Booking non-stop takes an extra connection out of airlines hands and puts the trip back in your control," he said.

Although things may seem rough now, Olson says there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as travel demands slow down in time for back-to-school and the fall.

"There are still woes ahead, so prepare and protect yourself where you can," he said.

The DOT will hold a virtual public meeting of the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee to discuss the new proposed airline refund rules August 22. For more details, visit the link here

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