Many red-eye American Airlines flights were stuck on the taxiway for hours at Raleigh-Durham International Airport early Tuesday morning.
Severe weather impacted incoming flights. Lightning caused significant backups Monday evening into early Tuesday morning. Each airline has its own safety protocols for deplaning during severe weather.
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Nine American Airline planes held on the ground before parking at open gates due to the storm. RDU worked closely with the airline to park the planes are quickly as the airline's safety protocols would allow, RDU said in a statement.
Several passengers told WRAL they sat on the taxiway for more than three hours waiting to deplane.
According to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, the following incoming flights were among those stuck on the taxiway for two to three hours each.
- Philadelphia AAL 3125: 3 hours, 3 minutes
- Dallas AAL 542: 2 hours, 59 minutes
- Chicago, AAL 2167: 3 hours, 13 minutes
- Chicago, Republic 4615 (American Airlines regional affiliate): 3 hours
- Miami, Envoy Air 3474 (American Airlines regional affiliate): 2 hours, 58 minutes
- New York, AAL 2969: 2 hours, 33 minutes
A plane coming from Toronto, Canada through Jazz Airlines also sat on the taxiway for 1 hour, 58 minutes.