More than 100 flights were canceled at Chicago's Midway Airport alone the day after the Christmas holiday, sparking massive lines as travelers rushed to rebook their journeys home.
Dozens of other cancellations were also reported at O'Hare International Airport Monday, making for more than 160 flights canceled across Chicago during the post-holiday rush.
Images from Midway Airport showed hundreds of people in lines amid the cancellations and luggage piling up in parts of the airport.
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Southwest Airlines, which operates out of Midway Airport and had a number of cancellations, said the disruptions were largely due to "Winter Storm Elliott's lingering effects."
"With the weather now considerably more favorable, we continue work to stabilize and improve our operation," the airline told NBC 5 in a statement Monday afternoon. "We are re-accommodating as many customers as possible, based on available space, whose itineraries have been disrupted. Those whose flights have been canceled may request a full refund or receive a flight credit, which does not expire."
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The airline warned of high call volumes for those seeking help with flights or lost luggage and also noted a "scheduling issue" also played a role in the issues.
"We are not having staffing issues, but we had experienced problems connecting flight crews to their scheduled aircraft. It is a scheduling issue, not a staffing issue," the statement read.
The cancellations come after a winter storm wreaked havoc on holiday travel plans last week.
Thousands of travelers were stranded at airports or stuck on hold trying to rebook flights as a massive storm snarled travel in the U.S. and Canada ahead of the holidays. As of Friday afternoon, more than 4,800 flights into or out of U.S. airports had been canceled, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.
Airport officials are still preparing for Tuesday, which they believe will be the busiest travel day at Midway Airport.
But depending on the destination, travel could be even trickier.
The deep freeze from a deadly winter storm that walloped much of the United States continued in parts of the Northeast Monday.
So what can you do if your flight was canceled?
If you still want to get to your destination, most airlines will rebook you for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
If you want to cancel the trip, you are entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.
Kurt Ebenhoch, a consumer travel advocate and former airline executive, stressed that travelers are eligible for a refund, not just vouchers for future travel. If you do take a voucher, make sure you inquire about blackout dates and other restrictions on its use.
