More Than 1,200 Flights Canceled As Winter Storm Blair Disrupts Travel

Winter Storm Blair has arrived and with it, more than 1,200 flights have been canceled and thousands more delayed, leaving passengers stranded.

In airports across the Central Plains and Midwest, the massive winter storm pummeling the US has done its worst when it comes to air travel. With freezing rain, snow, and ice, Winter Storm Blair has made it impossible for many flights to depart, either leading to delays, or worse, cancelations, making the inclement weather experienced during the holidays look like nothing in comparison.

The travel disruption is anticipated to only get worse, according to Forbes, as the storm moves through the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday evening.

With the massive storm forecasted to cause flight delays and cancelations, airlines were already offering vouchers to travelers in the days leading up to the storm. This was done to mitigate the number of people stuck at airports waiting via standby or those who had to be turned away not knowing when their flight would again be available.

Travel vouchers are still available for those who have had flights affected or anticipated to be affected through Monday.

Airlines Issuing Travel Vouchers

With more than 1,200 flight cancelations and 4,000 delays and counting felt across the nation’s airports, airlines have been issuing waivers to passengers who are flying into or out of airports with a weather advisory.

With so many affected passengers, those who want to rebook their flights without paying extra fees should do so as soon as possible, given more flights are anticipated to be delayed or canceled as a result of Winter Storm Blair.

For those who are unsure whether they qualify for a voucher, checking carrier websites or FlightAware will give the most updated information about not only vouchers but the status of flights.

At the time of publication, the airlines offering vouchers included:

Those who want to use their vouchers should read the fine print closely. The dates allowed to reschedule vary by carrier.

With the massive winter storm likely causing transportation issues through Monday, it is likely that the backlog of passengers trying to get to their destinations will be an issue for the next several days.

Related

Winter Weather Alerts Impact Millions Of People Across United States

Winter weather threatens the United States as a weather alert for the Central Plains through the Mid-Atlantic areas hints at widespread storms.

Winter Storm Blair Is Poised To Bring “Heaviest Snowfall In Over A Decade” To Some Regions

With nearly 60 million Americans under a weather advisory, Winter Storm Blair is poised to be one for the record books. With massive amounts of ice, snow, and rain anticipated through the Central Plains through the Mid-Atlantic region, those who do not have to travel are advised not to do so.

Some of the areas that will be most affected include northeastern Kansas into north-central Missouri. This is because up to 15 inches of snow is anticipated for the region.

This, according to the National Weather Service, could be “the heaviest snowfall in over a decade.”

Other areas under a winter storm advisory include:

• Indiana
• Kansas
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• Maryland
• Ohio
• New York State

The winter storm advisory is anticipated to last through January 8, as after the wild weather ends, bitter cold is forecasted to blanket the “eastern two-thirds of the nation” with temperatures expected to be 12F to 25F lower than normal. The polar vortex is anticipated to make for the “coldest January for the US since 2011,” according to Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather Director of Forecast Operations, per AP.

Related

Amtrak Announces Major Shakeup To Schedule With Mass Cancellations

Amtrak announced heavy cancellations from Sunday to Tuesday.

Patience is requested of anyone traveling by air or public transportation over the next several days, as there will be cancelations and delays. Again, if travel is not absolutely necessary, it is advised to remain home until the worst of the weather has passed and conditions become safer to get to final destinations.