TROPICAL storm Bonnie plagued Central America as the threat of hurricane-force reconnections July 4 travels chaos.
The second named storm of the hurricane season is expected to bring heavy rainfall and threats of flash floods and mudslides after it hit land on Friday.
Bonnie fell in the southeast of Nicaragua late Friday and traveled at 26 km / h across the border from Costa Rica.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm had already caused significant rainfall, which could cause severe flash floods and mudslides.
As the storm crosses Central America, it is expected to weaken.
However, once the storm moves over land and enters the eastern Pacific, it is predicted to intensify on Saturday and Sunday.
The hurricane center predicts it will take a northwestern route through Central America and as far as the U.S. west coast.
Bonnie will bring damaging winds, the threat of storm surges and up to seven inches of rainfall.
This natural disaster adds more stress to the already chaotic travel chaos of July 4th.
About 3,000 flights were canceled this week, with American and Delta beating most flights as Delta pilots demonstrated working conditions, according to NBC News.
The canceled flights come as an email alert from Delta informing about “operational issues” and asking pilots to rebook their flights with “no fare difference or change fees.”
On Thursday, Delta pilots and flight attendants were photographed taking part in an information rally at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia.
A Delta Airlines pilot, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to WSB-TV about why so many flights are being canceled.
He told the newspaper: “Of course there is a shortage of airline pilots across the board for most domestic airlines.”
“They are caused by staff problems. “They go much further than pilots who just get sick,” said the pilot.
“We are not the only ones canceling these flights, but what we do feel, and I feel as a pilot and many of my colleagues, is that Delta has backed itself up in this position.”
In a statement to WSB, Delta said: “Delta teams continue to manage safely through composite factors affecting our operations, including higher than planned unscheduled absences in some of our workgroups.
“Canceling a flight is always our last resort, and we sincerely apologize to our customers.”
Meanwhile, tropical storm Bonnie is only making matters worse.
John Lucia with the FAA Traffic Command Center said the weather would be bad “in the southeastern area of Atlanta, after Florida as far as Texas, also up in the northeast.”
“So if you try to fly out of the northeast or into the northeast tomorrow afternoon – you will probably experience delays,” he added.
Since Memorial Day holiday weekend in May, U.S. airlines have canceled more than 21,000 flights, according to FlightAware.
The FAA said in a statement: “People expect when they buy a plane ticket that they will get where they need to go to go safely, efficiently, reliably and affordably.
“After receiving $ 54 billion in pandemic relief to save the airlines from mass layoffs and bankruptcy, the American people deserve to live up to their expectations.”