US: Storm Grounds Over 1.6K Flights

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Facts

  • On Friday, US airlines canceled more than 1.6K flights as a winter storm packing freezing temperatures blanketed more than 12 states, causing significant power outages and travel disruptions.1
  • In the first arctic blast of the winter, the storm, known as a bomb cyclone, is expected to impact the US over the weekend and into next week. 145M people living in the continental US will be impacted by warnings for high winds and another 56M by winter storm warnings.2
  • The winter storm travel woes arrive just as the air travel industry is wrangling with flight cancellations as Boeing 737 Max 9 jets have been pulled from circulation due to mechanical and manufacturing concerns. Including cancellations due to the grounded Boeings, over 2K flights were postponed Friday.3
  • Chicago's two major airports, Chicago O’Hare and Midway International, experienced significant cancellations and delays. According to FlightAware, Midway reported over 60% outbound cancellations while O’Hare reported nearly 40%.3
  • The new wave of cancellations comes on the heels of the previous winter storm that swept across the US earlier in the week. The back-to-back storms prompted United Airlines to issue a travel alert for the weekend for all major airports in Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.4
  • For individuals impacted by flight cancellations and delays, the US Department of Transportation has urged travelers to know their rights. If a flight is canceled and the customer declines the alternative flight, they are entitled to a refund. Additionally, if a flight is delayed at the fault of the airline, the airline is responsible for compensating the traveler. However, for weather-related events, compensation is not required.5

Sources: 1www.reuters.com, 2NBC, 3CNN, 4Travel + Leisure and 5USA Today.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Travel + Leisure. With the busy holiday season behind us, airlines have turned their attention to the turbulent winter weather conditions. Airlines have bolstered their procedures to prepare passengers for those unavoidable delays and cancellations. By proactively issuing travel alerts and waiving cancelation and change fees, airlines are allowing passengers to travel with less stress this winter compared to previous winter seasons.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Daily Mail. Thousands of flights are being canceled pre-emptively across the US, with Chicago O'Hare leading the way. While extreme winter weather is behind most of the delays, it isn't the only problem airports face, as last week's incident of a door flying off a Boeing aircraft exposed major problems with airplane manufacturing that must be addressed. This is going to have an avalanche effect on many travelers.