Flustered by scrapped flights

Andrew Hulse and Ashley Hullinger planned the perfect wedding. The only problem is they might not be there to enjoy it.

The Alexandria couple found themselves stuck at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport yesterday when American Airlines cancellations kept them from reaching Tulsa, Okla.

The airline canceled more than 1,000 flights over the past two days after grounding its fleet of 300 Boeing MD-80 jet aircraft for wiring inspections. The twin-engine jets seat 72 passengers each. More than 100,000 travelers nationwide were affected by the canceled flights, according to airline officials.

It was the latest in a wave of mass flight cancellations to conduct mandatory inspections — and the second in less than two weeks for American Airlines.

More than 200 of yesterday’s cancellations occurred at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, while 138 flights were canceled at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, according to airline spokesman Tim Wagner.

Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have also canceled flights to conduct safety investigations in the past month. The Federal Aviation Administration levied a $10.2 million civil penalty against Southwest in March for flying planes that had missed inspections for cracks in the fuselage.

American said the inspections were not related to safety issues but rather for technical compliance with FAA rules regarding wire bundling on jets.

“The FAA told them to inspect their planes … and they didn’t do the inspections the way the FAA told them to. So it’s basically their fault,” said Bill Walker, an American Airlines frequent flier whose flight was canceled. “I’m just really angry right now.”

Mr. Hulse and Miss Hullinger learned about the cancellations on the news, but many passengers waiting in lines at the airport yesterday didn’t learn their flights were canceled until they entered the terminal with luggage in hand.

“When I looked online from the hotel, it said the flight was on time,” said Joseph Karlovich, who was in town from St. Louis on a business trip. “It didn’t say anything about it being canceled.”

Donald Pogue, a judge from New York City traveling to Austin, Texas, said he found out his flight was canceled as soon as he checked his ticket in the terminal.

In all, American Airlines canceled more than 850 flights yesterday, stranding passengers while mechanics checked to make sure planes met FAA standards. American canceled 14 of 25 scheduled departures from Reagan Airport yesterday and two of six flights from Washington Dulles International Airport. Three of nine scheduled flights were canceled at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

American warned passengers that more flights could be canceled today.

“They could have e-mailed us or something just to tell that it was canceled, but they didn’t do anything,” said Brian Porcheret, a native of France who was trying to get to Mexico yesterday. The 21-year-old political science student said he was shuttled free of charge from Dulles Airport to board an alternate flight at Reagan Airport.

California resident Anne Merrillin said she had a hard time finding out whether she would be traveling yesterday.

“The Web said that I did not have a canceled flight, that I was good to go the whole way,” she said.

Ticket agents at the airport first said her flight was canceled, then told her it wasn’t, she said.

Sue Olson, a policy writer for the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs, said she was not pleased with the customer service she received from American. She tried calling the airline but couldn’t get through, and she could not confirm her flight information on the airline’s Web site. She said she didn’t know her flight was canceled until she arrived at the airport.

“I think I’m going to be calling my brother and staying overnight with him; he lives in Maryland,” she said.

For the couple trying to make it to their own wedding on time, driving to Oklahoma might be a last resort if a flight doesn’t open up.

“The last four times I’ve tried to fly anywhere with any airline, there’s always been a problem,” Miss Hullinger said. “I’m not as optimistic as I have been.”

However, the bride-to-be said her family at home was praying for a safe and speedy journey.

“[Faith] is really all we’re going on,” she said.

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.