Air travel got off to a smooth start this long weekend, but it didn’t last long.
By the early morning hours of Sunday, airlines began to preemptively cancel filights ahead of expected snow in the Northeast. Further disruptions were possible Monday and Tueday in the Deep South thanks to a second winter storm, this one a potential whopper brewing off the Texas coast.
First up, though, was the threat of wintry weather in the Northeast.
Airlines had preemptively canceled 585 flights as of 12:45 a.m. EDT on Sunday morning, with most of those coming at the airports serving the New York, Washington and Boston metro areas. Nearly three dozen Monday flights had already been canceled, as well.
Leading the pack of Sunday cancellations: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), where a combined 178 arrivals and departures had been canceled — or about 17% of the airport’s entire daily schedule, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) was No. 2, with roughly 15% of Sunday’s scheduled preemptively canceled. Both airports are hubs for United Airlines.
More delays were possible Sunday once the flakes actually begin to fall across the region.
Disruptions could continue into next week from the second of a one-two punch to air travel. That second storm was expected to hit Monday, when airports in the Deep South had already begun to warn about another blast of wintry conditions that could wreak havoc in parts of the country that seldom see snow.
That included the possibility of accumulating snow from Texas along the Gulf Coast into northern Florida and then north across megahubs in Atlanta and Charlotte by Tuesday.
Weekend flight cancellations begin, more likely
The long weekend got off to a smooth start for most air travelers, with only 45 cancellations reported on U.S. flights on Saturday and 47 on Friday.
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By the early morning hours of Sunday, however, travelers faced hundreds of preemptive cancellations as forecasts of poor weather became more certain.
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Cancellations and delays along the East Coast were likely to grow Sunday from the fast-moving winter storm that was forecast to dump snow on portions of the New York metropolitan area, New England and the surrounding region.
Most major U.S. airlines had issued travel advisories for the next couple of days, covering many of the biggest Northeast hubs — from the three large airports in the New York City area, to Boston, Philadelphia and the Washington, D.C. region.
Those waivers gave travelers extra flexibility to make free ticket changes, even when flying on an ultra-restrictive ticket.
Northeast winter weather
Travelers should plan for disruptions getting to or from LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and especially John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday.
Those airports’ governing body urged travelers to check with their airline and build in extra time getting to the airport — particularly at JFK, amid ongoing construction at the region’s largest hub.
DC region marred by bitter cold
Making matters worse: Travelers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) had to contend with an outage to its heating system in the terminals, leading to plunging temperatures inside as travelers descended upon the city — itself bracing for bitter cold temperatures — ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.
More winter weather possible next week
While this weekend’s winter storm was likely to disrupt air travel Sunday and Monday, parts of the Deep South were already planning for the possibility of a winter storm that could bring travel to a standstill.
The National Weather Service warned of “increasing potential” for a storm that could sweep across portions of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia — perhaps bringing “accumulating snow and ice. That could even include cities like Houston, New Orleans and Tallahassee, Florida, that rarely see wintry weather.
United Airlines, which operates a major hub at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), had already issued an additional travel waiver for next week’s developing storm, covering a slew of southern airports, including its Houston base.
Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) took to social media to note its preparations ahead of the impending storm.
The region has already been marred by severe storms, snow and ice in recent weeks. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the nation’s second busiest, suffered thousands of flight cancellations over the past month from a barrage of foul weather.
Whether your travels take you to the East Coast this weekend or parts of the South next week, here’s how you can start preparing now:
Watch for a travel advisory
Check your airline’s website. If you’re planning to fly to the mid-Atlantic or Northeast over the next couple of days, it’s likely your flight could be covered by one of the many travel advisories issued by major U.S. carriers.
This could allow you to more easily make complimentary itinerary changes right from your airline’s app — even if you’re flying on an ordinarily restrictive ticket like basic economy.
American Airlines’ advisory, for instance, covers four of its major hubs: LaGuardia, JFK, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and DCA.
Southwest Airlines’ covers its busy Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) base, among other airports.
Here’s a rundown of the largest U.S. carriers’ current alerts:
Note that United has two separate alerts: one for the Northeast weather system this weekend covering a slew of East Coast airports, including its hubs at Newark and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAH).
The Chicago-based carrier has a second advisory for the Deep South weather system next week, so you can start planning ahead, now, for potential disruptions.
Keep an eye on your airline’s app
Make sure you download your airline’s app, and watch it closely. You may get notifications about flight delays or cancellations, and you’ll be able to spot early signs of trouble with your travel plans.
Also: if your flight is delayed or canceled, your airline may allow you to book yourself on a new flight right in the app.
This could save you significant time you’d otherwise spend waiting on hold with customer service.
Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do next
See a good rebooking option? Don’t delay
If you’re battling flight delays and see a halfway decent rebooking option pop up in your airline’s app, don’t waste a second: Lock it in!
With thousands of flights likely to be affected by winter weather in the coming days, many other passengers will be “competing” for seats on flights that do get out on time. That means those open spots will fill up quickly.
Don’t forget about the lounge
If using your airline’s app to make itinerary changes isn’t cutting it, you might consider visiting your airline’s lounge (if you’re a member, of course). The customer service desks in airlines’ clubs can often have much shorter waits for assistance than you’ll find along the airport concourse.
Just keep in mind: this applies only to airport lounges that are affiliated with your airline; credit card-branded clubs like the American Express Centurion Lounge or Capital One Lounge — while a great place to kill time during a delay — won’t be able to help you work on changing your flights.
Review your refund rights
Now is a good time to brush up on your rights to a refund when it comes to air travel.
Under U.S. Department of Transportation policy, airlines are required to refund you for the unflown portion of your ticket when your flight is canceled or significantly delayed — only if you choose not to travel (and don’t accept rebooking).
This rule applies even when the flight disruption is due to bad weather, and it can come in handy if you opt to stay home instead of taking a later flight in the midst of a winter storm.
Getting compensation for a delayed flight
Airlines have made a wide range of promises to the DOT for meals, hotel accommodations and other guarantees in the event of flight cancellations and major delays. However, keep in mind, these typically apply to “controllable” disruptions (like maintenance or staffing issues) and generally do not apply when bad weather affects travel.
This is where a travel credit card that offers travel insurance protections can come in handy, helping you recoup unexpected costs when flight trouble leaves you stranded. The one catch: In most cases, you’ll typically need to book your trip with that card in order to make a successful claim.
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