Washington (WABNEWS)
Today alone, 2,888 flights have been canceled domestically, 2,509 of which are Southwest flights. This situation will continue until Thursday. As of 01:00 GMT, the Flight Aware portal recorded that 2,348 flights had already been canceled domestically, mostly from companies based in Dallas, Texas.
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The United States demanded on Tuesday that the company provide compensation and refunds to passengers and warned it could not continue to use the storm, which died down days ago, as an excuse.
Government Pressure on the Southwest
Pete Buttigieg, the country’s secretary of transportation, said in an interview with ABC that the government would do what was necessary to ensure that the Dallas, Texas-based company “complied with its obligations.” The confusion in the airline itself is a “system failure”.
To mitigate the economic costs cancellations have wrought on users, several major U.S. airlines, including American, United and Delta, have imposed maximum price limits on tickets from some cities until next Monday. announced..
Southwest announced on its website that users with canceled flights can request a refund, and users with travel plans between today and January 3 can change their trips at no additional cost.
According to Flight Aware, the airports most affected by cancellations and delays are Denver (Colorado), Las Vegas (Nevada), Chicago Midway (Illinois), Baltimore (Maryland), and Washington, D.C. covers the
Winter storm death toll rises
Winter storm Elliot, which hit the country last week with frigid temperatures, heavy snow and hurricane-like winds, has already killed more than 50 people nationwide, with western New York being the hardest hit. 37 people are reported dead. Wednesday.
The region’s chief political officer, Mark Polonkers, assured the county health department had “confirmed three more deaths.”
These three new deaths add to the other three announced this morning and the 31 announced yesterday.
Of these 37 people, 17 were found on the street, 9 died due to lack of heat, 4 were found in cars, a further 4 died of heart disease, and 3 were unable to reach emergency medical services on time. died because he could not reach
Buffalo most affected
Buffalo, in Aire County, New York, was the area most affected by the storm. US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency, and local officials raised the death toll to 34 on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, officials in the area continue to clear snow and remove snow, especially in areas where vehicle driving remains prohibited in the city of Buffalo, the capital of Erie.
The city’s police said 450 machines were working to clean the streets, and mayor Byron Brown announced the opening of 11 bus routes and trains.
Brown also explained that of the more than 100,000 homes that were left without power by the storm, 500 have yet to restore power.
Emergency declaration due to storm
With the onslaught of storms in northwestern New York that have killed 50 people across the United States, President Joe Biden has approved a state of emergency for New York State, mitigating its impact and providing the federal government necessary to care for patients. promoted aid to those affected.
However, following Elliott’s passing, the central, southern and eastern parts of the country will see a sharp rise in temperatures in the coming days ahead of the New Year.
The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) issued a statement saying “well above average temperatures” are expected in these areas by the end of the week.
For example, states such as Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are expected to experience a minimum temperature of 60°F (15°C) and a maximum temperature of 70°F (21°C), forecast to be 20°C warmer than average this season. It has been.
