Airlines waive change fees as Winter Storm Jonas nears

Snowglobe

 

Winter storm Jonas is headed for the east coast and is expected to disrupt travel throughout the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast – and beyond – beginning Friday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for Washington, D.C., and Baltimore and is monitoring the possible impacts of the storm, which are expected to include heavy snow extending from Washington, D.C. to New York and Boston from Friday through Sunday.

“Based on the anticipated storm track, as much as 1 to 2 feet of snow is possible near and northwest of I-95,” the NWS said Wednesday morning its website.

Airports are readying their snow removal equipment and airlines are posting travel alerts. As always, it is best to check your airline’s website and mobile app for the latest updates and alerts and do the same for conditions and advisories from any airports you will be traveling to or through.

During events like this, most airlines will issue travel alerts offering passengers the option to cancel or change their travel plans with no change-fee penalties for certain days and for those traveling to, from or though certain cities.

The American Airlines travel alert relaxes change fee policies for travel to/from or through 40 airports.

One time ticketing fees will be waived for changes made for ticketed travel January 22 to January 24 if it occurs instead January 20 to January 26, 2016.

Delta Air Lines’ Northeast Winter Weather advisory, reminds passengers that if their flights are canceled or significantly delayed, they are entitled to a refund. For travelers with flights scheduled January 24-26, the airline is allowing a one-time change to your ticket, without a fee, if travel is rebooked to begin by January 27, 2016.

Cities/airports included in Delta’s travel alert are Allentown, PA (ABE), BWI, BOS, Charleston, WV (CRW), Charlottesville, VA (CHO), Harrisburg, PA (MDT), JFK, LGA, Newark (EWR), Newburgh, NY (SFW), PHL, Providence, RI (PVD), Richmond, VA (RIC), Roanoke, VA (ROA), Scranton, PA (AVP), Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National Airports, and White Plains, NY (HPN).

Frontier Airline’s storm alert covers travel from Thursday, January 21 through Sunday, January 24 to/from and through Philadelphia (PHL), Trenton-Mercer, NJ (TTN), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National Airports, Charlotte, NC (CLT), Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU) and Greensboro, NC (GSO).

JetBlue is waiving change and cancel fees and difference in airfare for passengers scheduled to travel Friday, January 22 and Saturday January 23, 2015, to or from BWI, Richmond, VA (RIC) and Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National Airports. The airline’s alert says customers may rebook flights for travel through Friday, January 29, 2016 and that customers with canceled flight can opt for a refund instead.

Southwest Airlines is advising that customers holding reservations for travel to/from/through Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Boston, Long Island Islip (ISP), Newark, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Providence (PVD), Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National (DCA) on Friday, January 22 through Saturday, January 23 are eligible to reschedule their flights in accordance with the carrier’s accommodation procedures.

United Airlines’ travel waiver advisory covers a long list of east coast cities and ticketed travel from January 22 through January 24. “The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new flights departing on or before January 20-27, 2016, as long as travel is rescheduled in the same cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed,” the carrier notes on its website.

 

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