U.S. airlines have announced travel waivers as a winter storm that is forecast to spread heavy snow, sleet and dangerous ice across two dozen states could disrupt air travel heading into the weekend.
FOX Weather has said the mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow could make travel dangerous and result in power outages and tree damage in parts of the Southeast, while heavier snow is expected in the north. AccuWeather, a weather forecasting company, said the winter storm is expected to come with cold temperatures not seen in five years.
“This will likely result in thousands of flight cancellations on Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” Dan DePodwin, vice president of forecasting operations at AccuWeather, said in a statement.
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Travel booking app Hopper estimates that upwards of 15,000 flights could be delayed because of the storm, noting a 17% increase in travelers adding Disruption Assistance to trips for this upcoming weekend.
Delta Air Lines canceled flights on Thursday at select airports in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee, saying the move seeks to ensure the safety of its customers. The airline said it would automatically rebook customers to the next best itinerary and that it would offer flexibility to customers with existing bookings to change their travel with no fees.
Southwest Airlines said it expects disruptions across parts of the South and East, offering customers flexibility to rebook or travel standby within a two-week window.
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American Airlines is offering similar flexibility across major hubs such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte, while United Airlines issued a waiver covering much of the Mid-Atlantic, the Northeast, and parts of the Carolinas and Ohio Valley, including its Newark and Washington-area operations.
JetBlue issued a waiver for the Northeast that covers New York and Boston-area airports and said it will waive change and cancel fees for customers traveling to and from 11 cities.
Ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines said travelers can request a refund if flights are canceled or delayed for more than three hours for domestic flights or six hours for international flights. Spirit Airlines announced it is waiving modification charges and fare differences across 13 cities for travel between Friday and Sunday.
Carriers said the mix of ice, snow and strong winds could slow airport operations, force delays and cancellations, and complicate rebookings.
Airlines urged travelers to monitor their flight status closely and use mobile apps and airline websites for the fastest rebooking options as the storm approaches.
“Even in locations far away from the storm, such as the West Coast hubs, Denver, Chicago and Minneapolis, ripple effects of this widespread travel-halting winter storm will be felt,” DePodwin said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
