A severe winter storm wreaked havoc on air transportation networks throughout the United States on Sunday, leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights and significant delays at numerous major aviation hubs.
National Weather Service reported that a combination of snow, sleet, and freezing rain placed nearly 180 million individuals – over half of the nation’s populace – under threat across an extensive zone from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England.
Having first impacted the South, the storm system pushed into the Northeastern region on Sunday. Meteorologists predicted substantial snowfall accumulations, with estimates ranging from 1 to 2 feet for a densely populated corridor including Washington, New York, and Boston.
Flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that more than 11,400 flights were canceled on Sunday. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said the disruption marked the largest cancellation event since the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Sunday afternoon, cancellations dominated flight schedules at major airports, particularly in the Northeast. New York’s LaGuardia Airport suspended operations until 8pm, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In Philadelphia, 94 percent of flights were canceled, while LaGuardia saw 91 percent of flights grounded. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York canceled about 80 percent of its flights. All departing flights were also canceled at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Major hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte and Atlanta also reported significant disruption.
American Airlines canceled more than 1,790 flights, while Delta, Southwest, United and JetBlue also reported heavy losses to their schedules.
Aviation expert Vikrant Vaze said recovery could take days, warning that cascading delays may affect travelers even outside storm-hit regions.
