Weather

Blizzard brings #AirportSnowdown

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Airlines have canceled thousands of flights in response to the blizzard roaring up the east coast, leaving some airports pretty empty, with nothing to do but clear the snow from the runways and engage in an on-line throwdown tagged, appropriately enough as an #AirportSnowdown

Blizzard = 1000s of canceled flights

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Snowstorm

In advance of a projected historic winter blizzard, airlines have canceled more than 2,300 flights for today and shut down operations in many airports entirely.

The story will repeat tomorrow.

Here’s FlightAware’s Misery Map from this morning, showing Charlotte with most canceled flights – but it will just get worse – much worse – throughout the day.

Misery Map clip

Best advice: don’t even chance getting stuck at the airport today. Take your airline’s offer to change your flight. Stay home. Stay warm. And, if you’re in a place where the blizzard hits – check on your neighbors.

 

Airlines waive change fees as Winter Storm Jonas nears

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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.

 

Airlines offer Hurricane Joaquin fee waivers

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Hurricane

As Hurricane Joaquin continues to swirl, some airlines are offering waivers on cancellation and change fees to customers who want to adjust their flight plans.

Right now, some travel alerts just mention flights to or from the Bahamas; others reach beyond that. As always, check with your airline for the most recent policy updates.

American Airlines

Dela Air Lines

Jet Blue

Southwest Airlines

Hurricane image

 

Stockholm Airport’s Climate Portal

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arlanda

Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport has created a “Climate Portal” to give passengers a preview of the weather at their destination – or at a destination they might want to book for a future trip.

The portal has three rooms – titled HOT, COLD and BIG – that use sound and image technology plus wind and temperature simulations to somehow transform online weather data into the physical experiences of being in various cities.

Here’s a short video the Arlanda Airport put together to explain:

Why create a weather portal at the airport when passengers are about to board planes which are already portals to new places?

It’s fun, of course, but as airport representatives point out, a weather preview is also a good reminder that you may need to do a bit of last minute shopping for sunscreen for that warm weather destination.

Look for Arlanda’s Climate Portal in Terminal 5, near Gate F26,  through August 31.

The weather outside is… still frightful

Weather

bentley snowflake

This winter is just not letting go!

Late Sunday evening, FlightAware reported more than 1,100 flights canceled for the day and almost as many canceled for Monday.

The big problem for air travelers today will be in and out of DFW Airport, where airlines have proactively cancelled about half of the scheduled flights – which is
over 500 departures and almost as many arrivals – mostly on American Airlines.

Airlines are waiving change fees for passengers caught in this storm and, in anticipation of freezing rain, ice and sleet, DFW officials say the airport has its aircraft de-icing facilities “in a state of readiness.”

Airlines cancel flights; waive change fees for newest storms

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bentley snowflake

Another big mess out there for travelers this week as winter storms blow in and cancel flights to, from and through the Midwest, Northeast and lots of other places – like Phoenix, where everyone is trying to head home after that heartbreaking (for Seahawks fans…) Super Bowl game.

Airlines have already canceled thousands of flights and posted instructions on which cities are included, the waiver policies on change fees and how best to rebook a flight.

Here’s a list of links to airline travel advisories. Check back often as some airlines still need to catch up from the weekend and others will likely alter or extend their policies.

Alaska Airlines

American Airlines

Delta Air Lines

Frontier Air Lines

Jet Blue

Southwest Airlines

Spirit Airlines

United Airlines

Virgin America

US Airways

 

 

Flights canceled as blizzard heads for the Northeast

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Snowstorm

Airlines have already canceled thousands of flights to, through and from the northeast and other parts of the country today in advance of a giant storm expected to break snowfall records.

Change fee waivers for flights scheduled through Wednesday have are also being offered by many airlines.

Here’s a list of links to many airline travel alerts.

Air Canada

Alaska Airlines


American Airlines

Delta Air Lines


Frontier Airlines

Jet Blue

Porter Airlines


Southwest


United Airlines


US Airways


Virgin America

WestJet

Many international flights scheduled to arrive in the United States on the east coast are going to be canceled or diverted as well, so be sure to check with your airline before heading out.

Airline advisories/waivers for Winter Storm Juno

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Updated Sunday, January 25 at 1:30 pm Eastern time.

bentley snowflake

Here’s an updated (as of Sunday, January 25) list of links to the travel advisories and travel waiver policies airlines posted for the Winter Storm Juno – and other bad weather affecting flights on the east coast this weekend and into next week.

As always, if you have a flight scheduled be sure to check – and re-check – with your airline before heading out in bad weather.

Alaska Airlines

American Airlines has posted a travel alert for those scheduled to travel on January 26 and 27 to, from or through these cities: Albany, NY (ALB), Allentown / Bethlehem, PA (ABE), Baltimore, MD (BWI), Bangor, ME (BGR), Boston, MA (BOS), Burlington, VT (BTV), Harrisburg, PA (MDT), Hartford, CT (BDL), Islip/Long Island/Macarthur, NY (ISP), Manchester, NH (MHT), New Haven, CT (HVN), NY/NJ: (JFK, LGA, EWR), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Portland, ME (PWM), Providence, RI (PVD), Scranton / Wilkes Barre, PA (AVP), State College University Park, PA (SCE), Stewart / Newburgh, NY (SWF), Washington Dulles, VA (IAD), Washington Reagan Nat’l, DC (DCA), Westchester County / White Plains, NY (HPN) and Williamsport, PA (IPT)

Delta Air Lines: for travel scheduled on January 26 to 27 to, from or through a very long of airports.

JetBlue: for travel on January 26 and 27 to/from or through BWI, Boston (BOS), Hartford (BDL), JFK, LGA, EWR, Newburgh, NY (SWF), PHL, Portland, ME (PWM), Providence (PVD), DCA, IAD,  White Plains, NY (HPN), and Worcester, MA (ORH).

Southwest Airlines : for flights to, from or through the following cities January 26 and 27 to/from or through BWI and the Washington, D.C. area (IAD, DCA) airports and on January 26 to, from or through PHL, EWR, LGA, Long Island/Islip (ISP), Albany (ALB), Hartford (BDL), Providence (PVD), Boston (BOS), Manchester (MHT) and Portland (PWM).

United Airlines

Virgin America for travel on January 27 to, from or through: BOS, JFK, LGA, EWR, LGA, IAD and DCA.

 

 

 

Airlines ready for Xmas eve snowstorm

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Snowglobe

Winter weather conditions are expected in the Midwest on Christmas eve and airlines are getting ready by canceling flights and waiving ticket change and reissue fees.

Here are the waiver policies posted as of Tuesday evening, December 23:

American Airlines, American Eagle and US Airways

Passengers with tickets on flights Dec. 24 to, from, or through the nine cities below may change flights without penalty, have the ticket-reissue charge waived for one ticket change, and begin travel as early as Dec. 23 or as late as Dec. 25

St. Louis (STL), Springfield, Ill. (SPI), Peoria, Ill. (PIA), Urbana-Champaign, Ill. (CMI), Bloomington-Normal, Ill. (BMI), Chicago (ORD), Milwaukee (MKE), Grand Rapids, Mich. (GRR) and Detroit (DTW).

Frontier Airlines

Customers scheduled to travel Wednesday, December 24, 2014 to/from/through: Chicago Midway, IL (MDW); Chicago O’Hare, IL (ORD); Detroit, MI (DTW); Milwaukee, WI (MKE); St. Louis, MO (STL) may have fees waived for one itinerary change, if travel is completed by Saturday, December 27th. Those with canceled flights may request a refund.

JetBlue

JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling to/from/through the cities below, on Wednesday, December 24, 2014. Customers may rebook travel through Thursday, December 25, 2014 prior to the departure of their originally scheduled flight. Customers with cancelled flights may opt for a refund.

Affected cities: Baltimore, MD (BWI), Boston, MA (BOS), Buffalo, NY (BUF), Burlington, VT (BTV), Hartford, CT (BDL), Newark, NJ (EWR), Newburgh, NY (SWF), JFK, LGA, Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Pittsburgh, PA (PIT), Portland, ME (PWM), Providence, RI (PVD), Rochester, NY (ROC), Syracuse, NY (SYR), Washington, DC (DCA), Washington, DC (IAD), Westchester County, NY (HPN), Worcester, MA (ORH).

Southwest Airlines

Customers holding reservations for travel to/from/through Chicago Midway (MDW) on December 24 are eligible to reschedule their flights.

United Airlines

United is offering to waive the change fee for passengers flying on December 24 and 25 to, through or from Chicago, IL (ORD), Detroit, MI (DTW), Grand Rapids, MI (GRR), Madison, WI (MSN) and Milwaukee, WI (MKE).

Of course – as always – it’s best to check the status of your flight and the latest advice from your airline before you make a change or head to the airport.