Airlines have scrapped over 5,000 flights as of Monday and have eliminated cancellation and change charges for customers traveling to and from airports from Virginia to Maine in anticipation of yet another severe winter storm affecting the East Coast, which is expected to challenge carriers as winter break concludes.
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard alert for a large portion of New Jersey, the New York City vicinity, and sections of Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. The storm may result in over 2 feet of snowfall in certain regions and gusts of wind exceeding 40 miles per hour. The NWS cautioned that travel conditions will be hazardous due to poor visibility.
Airlines typically cancel flights prior to significant storms to prevent aircraft and crews from being stranded and to facilitate a smoother resumption of operations once the storm has passed.
Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and Spirit Airlines have suspended fees and fare differences for travelers who can reschedule as late as Feb. 26. Southwest Airlines indicated that clients can change bookings without incurring a fare difference if they are able to rebook for travel or standby within a two-week window.
Winter Storm Fern in January, followed by extreme cold, brought about significant travel disruptions across a wide area of the United States.
American Airlines faced challenges in recovery, receiving severe criticism from flight crews, some of whom found themselves stranded and had to sleep in airports, escalating tensions between frontline workers and the company’s CEO, Robert Isom.
The storm impacted American Airlines with estimated revenue losses between $150 million and $200 million, as stated last month during an earnings call.
