Topline
Air travelers can expect another day of flight delays and cancellations Thursday as a major winter storm system continues to blanket large parts of the country with heavy snow and ice, after roughly 18% of flights in the U.S. were disrupted Wednesday.
Thursday is shaping up to be a day of flight disruptions for air travelers.
Key Facts
As of 5:50 p.m. EST on Thursday, there were 600 flight cancellations and 8,079 delays in and out of U.S. airports, according to FlightAware.
So far, roughly 19% of the total scheduled flights in the U.S. today are disrupted.
Airports reporting double-digit flight cancellations Thursday include Reagan National, Boston Logan, Newark, Detroit Metro Wayne, Portland, San Francisco and Harry Reid in Las Vegas.
Flight disruptions due to weather-related incidents tend to mount as the day progresses.
Major U.S. airlines are offering travel waivers to passengers flying in and out of impacted airports so they can change their travel plans without incurring extra charges.
Key Background
A major winter storm system continues its easterly path Thursday, with heavy snow developing over New England and an ice storm forecast in the central Appalachians, according to the National Weather Service.
Big Number
8,108. That’s how many flights were either delayed or canceled Wednesday due to the same storm system. That number represents roughly 18% of the 45,000 flights the Federal Aviation Administration manages, on average, every day in the United States.
What To Watch For
Expect flight disruptions to rise as the day progresses. Regional weather events often impact flights across the entire country because airlines reuse planes throughout each day. A plane delayed on one route will run late for other scheduled departures, causing a domino effect of disruption into late afternoon.
Further Reading
Winter Storm: Airlines Issue Travel Alerts For Thursday Travel (Forbes)
