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Air travelers in the Northeast are either waiting at the airport or being sent home after their plane takes off. winter storm Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed.
A winter storm hit the area early Saturday, bringing snow, ice and dangerous conditions On roads and runways in the Northeast.
By early Saturday, about six to 10 inches Snow has fallen Coverage extends from Syracuse to Long Island and parts of Connecticut, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service reported that 2 to 4 inches of snow fell overnight in New York City, including 4.3 inches in Central Park.
“The good news is that the heaviest snowfall is over,” National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Oravec told reporters. Reuters. “Only a few flurries remain this morning and these will taper off by the afternoon.”
Even so, more than 14,000 domestic flights were canceled or delayed as of Saturday morning. According to FlightAware, most of the outages occurred in the New York area, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
International flights have also been hit; about 2,100 international flights scheduled to land in the United States on Saturday were canceled, according to flight tracking websites.
airline officials told new york times They preemptively canceled flights ahead of the predicted storm.
“The worst thing that can happen to the entire operation is to cancel a flight so close to departure time,” Southwest spokesman Chris Perry said. era. “Then you put the plane, the crew and the passengers in trouble.”
He said it had become common for the industry to cancel orders early to avoid knock-on problems from last-minute disruptions.
“It’s not worth the risk of having our aircraft and crews waiting there to see if they can take off,” he said. “If they can’t do that, then we’re in trouble and that’s what causes multi-day operations to fail.”
The flight disruptions come during one of the busiest travel times of the year. Airlines lobby group American Airlines expects airlines to carry a record 52.6 million flights between December 19 and January 5. Friday and Saturday – the days when the storm hits New York and New Jersey – are forecast to be among the busiest days. CNBC.
The weather was calm on Saturday morning, providing a welcome respite for travelers worried about reaching their destinations on time.
“The storm is definitely weakening and there will be a little bit of light snow in the Northeast this morning,” Oravec told reporters. Associated Press.
Snow isn’t everyone’s bane, though. Jennifer Yokley, a visitor to New York from North Carolina, told The Associated Press she was happy to see the city covered in white dust.
“I think it’s absolutely beautiful,” she said.