Orlando International Airport experiences more than 600 delays as thunderstorms roll across the area
Many flights at the Orlando International Airport were delayed on Sunday due to weather conditions in the Central Florida area. According to FlightAware, there have been more than 600 impacted flights.
From 4:23 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for MCO. That ground stop has since been lifted, but a ground delay remains in effect.
FAA said departures to MCO are delayed an average of 68 minutes due to the thunderstorms.
MCO is advising customers to check with their airlines directly for any updates regarding their operation.
Earlier today, the FAA's airspace system status showed a ground stop as well as departure delays because of staffing issues, but that information has been updated to reflect the weather as the main issue.
Kim Witt was waiting for an hour for her friends to arrive from Michigan.
"They have been delayed, they're on the runway right now waiting to get a gate clearance, but right now, there's no ETA on a gate. They were supposed to land 45 minutes ago," Witt said.
Luckily, her friends arrived just a little while later, although they had to cancel their dinner plans.
"We sat out there for about an hour, an hour 15 minutes. There was lots of traffic on the runway out there, planes just backed up," Rose Witt said.
Guy Clement was visiting Orlando to spend time with his mother, and other members of his family. They were heading home to Buffalo, New York when their flight was delayed for a little more than an hour.
"It is what it is, you know, you got to roll with it. I don't have my own jet so you go with the flow," Clement said. " We'll just get something to eat, and chill out. It's rest time anyways, so it's not a big deal."
For updated airport status from the FAA, click here.