PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Travelers at Donald J. Trump International Airport continued to face flight cancellations and delays Saturday, a day after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop that disrupted air travel across the country.
WATCH: Travelers Stranded as FAA Ground Stop Fallout Continues
The FAA's air traffic control system was back at full operations Saturday, but federal officials warned that delays and cancellations would continue as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said airlines expected to return to full schedules by the end of Sunday.
The disruption remained significant Saturday. FlightAware reported more than 6,000 U.S. flight cancellations and over 7,000 delays as of Saturday evening.
For some South Florida travelers, those numbers translated into hours spent bouncing between airports and transportation options in hopes of simply getting home.
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Veterans spend hours trying to get home
Veterans Karen Matthews and Ron Matthews told WPTV they had been traveling for about 10 hours after their flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Baltimore was canceled.
"Are we ever gonna get home?" Karen Matthews said.
Their attempt to find another flight brought them from Fort Lauderdale to Donald J. Trump International Airport, but another cancellation awaited them.
"To have taken the shuttle bus, the train, the shuttle bus ... and then to get here and it's canceled again," Karen Matthews said.
She summed up the experience simply: "This is really frustrating."
Traveler: 'I've been eating mints all day'
Ron Matthews said the couple had not had a chance to eat during their lengthy trip.
"It's been kind of rough," he said. "I've been eating mints all day long just to get by."
Ron Matthews said American Airlines reissued their tickets but did not provide them with meals, transportation assistance or other accommodations.
"No accommodations, just reissuing the tickets," he said. "Nothing, no assistance with transportation, no upgrade of seats or anything, not a thing."
For Karen Matthews, reaching home also carried a medical concern. She said she needed to get back to medications she takes for blood pressure and acid reflux.
"I have to control my blood pressure," she said. "So yes, it's important."
Ground stop ends, but ripple effects continue
The nationwide ground stop began Friday afternoon after a telecommunications failure involving air traffic control infrastructure, federal officials said. The stoppage was lifted shortly after 8 p.m. Friday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday that a preliminary investigation found the problem occurred while a contractor at a remote FAA facility was replacing aging copper wiring with fiber and working with a router. Officials were still determining whether human error or faulty equipment was responsible.
The FAA said airspace was safe and operational Saturday, but airlines still faced the complicated task of getting airplanes, pilots and flight attendants back into position after the nationwide disruption.
Travelers urged to keep checking flights
Another traveler WPTV spoke with, Andrew, said his cancellation came nearly a day after the nationwide disruption.
"A cancellation the following day, you know, almost 24 hours later, a little bit unexpected," he said.
Federal officials said they expected the remaining disruptions to ease through Sunday as airlines rebuilt their schedules. Travelers with upcoming flights should continue checking directly with their airline for the latest status before heading to the airport.
For passengers like the Matthews, the nationwide ground stop ending did not mean the travel nightmare was over.
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