Trying to fly home for the holidays—and suddenly staring at a departure board full of red alerts? You’re not alone.
A powerful winter storm has thrown travel plans into chaos across the US north-east.
It has cancelled and delayed thousands of flights at the worst possible time.
By Friday night, around 1,600 flights were cancelled and more than 7,400 delayed nationwide, according to FlightAware.
New York’s major airports—JFK, LaGuardia and Newark—were hit hardest, with knock-on effects stretching to Boston, Chicago and even Toronto.
Why the disruption? Heavy snow. Forecasters warned that up to nine inches could blanket parts of New York and southern Connecticut overnight.
“Numerous delays and hazardous travel conditions are expected,” the National Weather Service cautioned, as the storm peaked during evening hours.
Airlines scrambled to respond. JetBlue and Delta alone cancelled hundreds of flights, while others followed suit.
Travel Warnings Issued
Airports urged passengers to double-check flight statuses before heading out.
Good advice, given the scenes of stranded travellers huddled near luggage at LaGuardia.
Officials weren’t mincing words either. New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
Advising those who must move to “plan ahead, take it slow, and leave plenty of time.”
Snow ploughs are ready. Roads are on alert. And for travellers? Sometimes the safest journey is the one postponed.
After all, is any holiday rush worth sliding into it?
