Chaos at US airports due to winter storm 1:05
(WABNEWS) — More and more canceled Christmas Eve trips are piling up in the United States.
Snow, rain, ice, wind, and freezing temperatures are disrupting travel plans across the United States.
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Airlines canceled more than 2,400 US flights as of 9 pm Miami time Thursday and proactively canceled more than 2,200 flights by Friday, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Even by Saturday, more than 125 flights had already been cancelled.
The delays were even greater on Thursday: more than 9,300 by 9 pm Miami time.
The biggest cancellations on Thursday were at the Chicago and Denver airports, according to FlightAware data. Friday’s cancellations are highest in Detroit, followed by New York’s LaGuardia as the storm’s impacts move east.
At one point Thursday, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport experienced delays averaging 159 minutes — nearly three hours — due to snow and ice, according to an advisory from the Federal Aviation Administration. (FAA).
Temperatures at the airport dropped to -11°C at 3:00 p.m. local time. The National Weather Service reported the presence of snow and freezing fog.
The FAA reported that planes departing from the Dallas Love, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Minneapolis airports must be sprayed with deicing fluid to travel safely.
In the busy New York area, the FAA warned that flights from Newark should expect delays due to visibility problems.
The region’s three large airports are warning travelers that the incoming winter weather front may disrupt their travels.
“Flight activity at #LaGuardiaAirport may be disrupted by heavy rain and high winds later today and Friday. Travelers, please confirm the status of your flights with your airline before proceeding to the airport,” LaGuardia Airport posted in Twitter. John F. Kennedy and Newark airports also posted similar notices.
Free flight changes
Many airlines have issued weather waivers that allow travelers to change their itineraries without penalty for a short time.
For those whose flights are still scheduled, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) advises passengers to arrive at the airport earlier than usual.
adjustment of plans
Maria Ihekwaba, who was traveling from Chicago to Clear Lake, Iowa, with her granddaughter Thursday morning, told WABNEWS she was trying to get out as soon as possible.
“Especially when you travel from Chicago, you never know what can happen in Chicago because it’s the Windy City,” Ihekwaba said.
Traveler Kari Lucas, from San Diego, told WABNEWS she was going to visit her sister and brother-in-law, but cut the trip short because she didn’t want to get caught in the impending storm.
“I was worried because in San Diego we don’t have these snow storms,” she said. “So I don’t like being stuck at the airport for long periods of time.”
“It seemed like the best option at the moment,” he said.
Disruption of bus service
Not only flights are being affected by the cyclone bomb.
Greyhound issued an alert Thursday warning customers that those traveling through the Midwest over the next two days could see their trips delayed or cancelled.
The largest provider of intercity bus services listed more than a dozen cities from West Virginia to Minnesota as among those affected. These include:
– Charleston, West Virginia- Chicago- Cleveland- Dallas- Danville, Illinois- Davenport, Iowa- Denver- Detroit- Detroit- Kansas City- Minneapolis- St. Louis- Wichita, Kansas
Greyhound said riders can call 1-833-233-8507 to reschedule.
Amtrak train service is also affected
(Credit: Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images)
Amtrak has also been forced to delay or cancel passenger service on some lines in the Midwest and Northeast.
In its notice, Amtrak said that “customers with reservations on the trains that are being modified will be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or on a different day.”
“Amtrak will waive additional fees for customers who wish to change their reservation during the modified hours by calling our reservation center at 1-800-USA-RAIL,” it added.
Impact on Christmas deliveries
FedEx says it is monitoring winter weather and has “contingency plans in place to help keep team members safe and lessen any impact” on Christmas deliveries.
“In anticipation of severe weather, we have been repositioning assets so that we can provide service where and when it is safe to do so,” FedEx told WABNEWS in a statement.
— Ross Levitt, Dave Hennen and Forrest Brown contributed reporting.
