Funviralpark According to FlightAware, Thursday’s cancellations accounted for about 11% of scheduled flights for US-based airlines, with about half of flights delayed on Thursday.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, New York’s LaGuardia and Chicago had the most cancellations on Friday, according to FlightAware data.
The Federal Aviation Administration posted a ground stop Friday morning for freeze protection on flights to American Airlines’ second largest hub, Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, and Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC. did.
In the Pacific Northwest, flights to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Portland International Airport were also grounded Friday morning due to snow and ice, the FAA said.
The FAA says the change in atmospheric pressure associated with this storm will create strong winds at airports from Boston to Atlanta.
Chicago and Denver airports saw a ton of cancellations and delays on Thursday. Snow and ice at Chicago O’Hare International Airport averaged about three hours of delays on Thursday.
The increase in cancellations is making it difficult for passengers to rebook and arrive in time for Christmas against the clock and weather. This year’s flights were busier than before, even before the storm disrupted travel schedules.
“We hear that travel is still down by 5-10%, but many people may not realize it, but the number of flights in the air is actually down by 15-20%. It means there is,” he told CNN.
“The planes that are actually flying today are more packed than they were before the pandemic, so there aren’t as many empty seats to switch to if a flight is canceled or delayed,” Keys said.
Train and bus services are also a hit
Amtrak has also been forced to delay or cancel passenger service on some routes in the Midwest and Northeast.
“Customers who have reservations for trains that are being changed will generally be accommodated for trains with similar departure times or on different dates,” Amtrak said in a notice.
“Amtrak will waive the surcharge for customers attempting to modify reservations during the modified schedule by calling the Reservations Center at 1-800-USA-RAIL.”
Meanwhile, Greyhound, the largest provider of intercity bus service, issued a service alert Thursday night, indicating that travel in the Midwest or northern Northeast may be canceled or suspended.
Greyhound said riders can call 1-833-233-8507 to reschedule.
Winter weather is also impacting service for local intercity bus company Jefferson Lines, which operates in 14 states.
Above Image: Travelers arriving at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on December 22, 2022. Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images
Pete Muntean, Gregory Wallace, Rebecca Reese, Daniel Sills, Marnie Hunter, Ross Levitt, Dave Hennen, Paul P. Murphy, and Carol Alvarado contributed to this report.
