Airlines Cancel Flights Ahead of Northeast Blizzard

Thousands of flights have been canceled ahead of a major storm approaching the busy Northeast and New England regions. Airlines have axed more than 3,000 flights as of Friday morning.

According to a report from USA Today, “Most of the cancellations in that tally were announced even before the first flakes fell in the Northeast, highlighting a trend in recent years in which airlines have proactively canceled flights ahead of a big storm instead of trying to operate right up until the worst conditions arrive.” Affected airports include those in the New York, Montreal, and Boston areas.

More cancellations will likely continue throughout the weekend, as the “monster storm” (in the words of Al Roker) dumps snow on the Northeast. When storms affect large numbers of flight itineraries, cancellations often continue to happen a few days or even a week after the storm has moved through. So be prepared for possible itinerary changes if you’re traveling in the region over the weekend and early next week.

The good news: As airlines typically do in these situations, carriers are waiving change fees, letting travelers make adjustments to their travel plans without penalty. Nearly every affected airline has done so, mostly for flights in or out of the northeastern U.S. on Friday and Saturday. Check your airline’s fee-waiver policy here:

• American
• Alaska
• Delta
• JetBlue
• Southwest
• Spirit
• United
• US Airways

Need to rebook? Try to do it online if possible. Airline call centers often get ovewhelmed when storms snarl flight schedules, so rescheduling flights online could be your best bet. Another option: Reschedule through third parties like travel agencies and online travel agencies (OTAs), if you originally booked your tickets with one.

Has your flight been affected by the storm? Tell us about it!

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