Yahoo TV

American Airlines is the latest air carrier to be hit with massive delays and outright flight cancellations.

The airline cancelled 262 flights on Monday, bringing the total number of flight cancellations since Friday to more than 22-hundred.

The schedule disruption leaving thousands of travelers stranded across the country....

(SOT-TRAVELER)

“Our flight from Philly to Fort Lauderdale was delayed twice and then ultimately cancelled.”

(SOT -TRAVELER)

“Now, it just got cancelled on us, we don’t know what to do.”

The airline is grappling with staff shortages and severe winds at one of its main hubs: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas.

That has knocked out American's arrival capacity by more than half, leaving pilots and flight attendants unable to make their scheduled flights.

Staffing shortages have now hit American Airlines, Southwest and ultra-budget carrier Spirit, as the industry ramps up flights ahead of the holiday season -without staffing keeping pace.

One travel expert warns airlines may have no other choice but to cut back....something the industry doesn't want to do as it tries to grab every dollar from pent-up consumers ready to travel again.

(SOT - Johnny Jet / Travel Expert)

“I just think the airlines need to be less aggressive in their scheduling, they’re just trying to fly as many places as they can and then when there are problems, things go really bad, fast.”

But American hopes this is a just a temporary speed bump on the road to recovery from the devastating drop in demand seen during the health crisis.