Air travelers are encountering flight delays and cancellations as a winter ice storm moves from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Air travelers are encountering flight delays and cancellations in the U.S. on Thursday due to Winter ... [+]
As of 8:20 a.m. ET Thursday, there were 486 flight cancellations and 1,1,47 delays in and out of U.S. airports, according to FlightAware.
Airports reporting double-digit flight cancellations include Philadelphia International, Boston Logan, Washington D.C.’s Reagan National and Dulles, and the New York City-area’s LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy and Newark.
Based on an historical trend analysis, thousands more flights will be disrupted as the day progresses.
Major U.S. airlines are issuing travel waivers allowing passengers flying in or out of impacted airports to rebook without paying the fare difference, but the number of airports covered varies widely by airline.
On Thursday, Winter Storm Freya is expected to hit the Great Lakes, northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast with a combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain, according to the National Weather Service. Up to a half inch of ice is possible across parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, potentially leading to scattered power outages, tree damage and treacherous road conditions.
Expect flight disruptions to mount as the day progresses. Weather events in one region tend to impact the entire country because airlines reuse planes for multiple flights each day. A plane delayed on one route often won’t make it to its other scheduled departures on time, creating to a domino effect where flights in late afternoon are most likely to be disrupted.
Ice Storm Warnings: ‘Dangerous’ Travel Conditions Expected Across Northeast And Midwest This Week (Forbes)