Canceled, Delayed Flights Anticipated During Summer's Busiest Weekend

TAMPA, FL — With thousands of flight cancellations and delays occurring at airports across the nation this week, Bahama Breeze in Tampa is helping to ease travelers' frustration this Fourth of July travel week, one of the busiest travel weeks of the summer.

Bahama Breeze is offering travelers with a canceled flight a “Flight for a Flight” — a free margarita flight in exchange for proof of a canceled airline flight at the restaurant at 3045 N. Rocky Point Drive, Tampa.

From July 1 to 8, guests in Tampa can redeem their free margarita flight when they visit Bahama Breeze and show their server proof of a flight that was canceled during the holiday week via an email from the airline.

Bahama Breeze’s margarita flight is one of the restaurant’s signature cocktail offers and includes 3-ounce servings of three of Bahama Breeze’s most popular margaritas: The Classic, Dragon Fruit and Coconut-Pineapple.

Between storms in the Boston area and staff shortages at U.S. airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control operations, the FAA said nearly 860 flights were canceled and another 3,500 flights were delayed on Wednesday alone.

At Tampa International Airport, there were 66 flight delays and 17 cancellations of flights both arriving and departing at TPA, according to FlightAware.

While exact day-by-day projections are hard to pinpoint over the summer months, airlines have added extra routes and seat capacity for anticipated high demand, and TSA is reporting record passenger volumes nationwide.

Tampa International Airport expects to see an average of 70,000 passengers per day, with as many as 90,000 passengers on its busiest days, which are typically Saturdays and Sundays. So far this year, the airport has seen nearly 5 percent more passengers compared to the same year-to-date period in 2019.

Over the July 4 weekend, the airport is expecting increased traffic amounting to about 80,000 passengers per day.

As always during anticipated busy periods, passengers should plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before domestic flight departures and three hours before international departures to ensure plenty of time to park, check in, clear the security checkpoint and grab any last-minute snacks or items before boarding.

Here are some other tips to help make summer travels go smoothly at TPA:

Choose Express: The innovative Blue Express Curbsides are an easy alternative to the regular departures and arrivals lanes, particularly for those who don’t need to stop at the ticketing or baggage claim levels to get in and out of the main terminal. Drivers can follow the signage to express for a less-crowded drop-off and pick-up experience.

Plan Ahead for Parking: TPA offers online booking for parking, which has discounted pricing on its short-term, long-term and economy garages, some of which may reach capacity during peak days. Online bookings also help TPA anticipate demand and manage its garage space availability, making parking easier for everyone.

Avoid Circling: Circling the roadways or lingering at the curbs is not allowed, so drivers picking up passengers should use the Cell Phone Waiting Lot, which has restrooms and free Wi-Fi, as well as info boards listing flight arrival times. Once a passenger is ready and at the curb, his or her driver can get there in a flash without adding unnecessary traffic to TPA’s roadways.

Check the weather: It's summer in Florida, which means pop-up thunderstorms and lightning happen almost daily. Fortunately, most storms are brief and cause only short pauses in flight schedules, but it's always best to be aware of the weather forecast and check with your airline ahead of time to ensure your flight is still departing on time. Keep in mind that early morning flights typically have a better chance of staying on schedule.

Skip the Lines: TPA offers two types of amenities to help passengers avoid lines and breeze through the airport experience: Self-serve boarding pass kiosks and online food ordering via Uber Eats. Check-in kiosks are available at both the ticketing level and on the transfer level near the shuttle entrances, so those dropped off from the Blue Express curbs can head straight to the shuttles, stopping at the kiosks if needed. Once you get to your gate, relax and order breakfast, lunch or dinner using the Uber Eats app and pick it up when it's ready.