A severe winter storm has unleashed travel chaos across the United States, prompting airlines to issue widespread warnings of cancellations and delays at some of the nation's busiest airports. Sunday is anticipated to be a particularly brutal day for travellers.
The National Weather Service reported on Saturday night that extensive snow, sleet, and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people – more than half of the US population – along a vast stretch from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England. Following its sweep through the South, forecasters predict the storm will advance into the Northeast, bringing an estimated 30 to 60 centimetres (1 to 2 feet) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.
The impact on air travel has been significant, with flight-tracking site FlightAware indicating over 13,500 cancellations across the US since Saturday. Approximately 9,600 of these were scheduled for Sunday alone. Aviation analytics firm Cirium highlighted that its data shows Sunday marks the highest cancellation event since the pandemic began, with more than 29 per cent of all US departing flights axed.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport warned travelers on its website of widespread flight cancellations. Nearly all of its departing flights scheduled for the day — 414 flights, or 97 per cent — have been canceled.
Significant disruptions were also expected at major airport hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Atlanta, home to the nation’s busiest airport, as well as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.
American Airlines had canceled over 1,400 flights for Sunday, according to FlightAware. Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines each reported about 1,000 cancellations for the day, while United Airlines had more than 800. JetBlue had more than 560 canceled flights, accounting for roughly 70 per cent of its schedule for the day.
My flight was canceled, now what?
If you’re already at the airport, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. If you’re still at home or at your hotel, call or go online to connect to your airline’s reservations staff. Either way, it helps to also research alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.
Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge, but it depends on the availability of open seats.
Can I get booked on another airline?
You can, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. Some airlines, including most of the biggest carriers, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then, it can be a hit or miss.
Am I owed a refund?
If your flight was canceled and you no longer want to take the trip, or you’ve found another way to get to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money — even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn’t matter why the flight was canceled.
The airline might offer you a travel credit, but you are entitled to a full refund. You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras that you didn’t get to use.
