Airlines cancel thousands of flights as big storm advances

The massive blizzard on the East Coast is causing flight delays at airports across the country, including San Diego’s Lindbergh Field.

January 21-American Airlines said Thursday that it is canceling all flights to and from Charlotte on Friday because of an expected winter storm.

Friday, airlines canceled more than 6,000 commercial flights that were scheduled for Friday and Saturday across the United States.

All flights into and out of Philadelphia International Airport have been canceled for Saturday, when the blizzard conditions were expected to be in full swing, airport spokeswoman Diane Gerace said.

For now, passengers seeking to avoid the storm’s disruptions can take advantage of airlines’ winter weather waivers.

Overall, the airlines have canceled about 12 percent of their scheduled flights in the US for Friday and Saturday.

Thousands of commercial flights were canceled Friday as a major snowstorm swirled along the eastern seaboard and threatened to dump more than two feet of snow on the nation’s capital by Monday.

Other travelers told us they were cleared to head to Boston, where flights were on time.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN the city is prepared for this storm.

“We’ve been proactively making changes to schedule due to the weather forecast”, said American spokesman Ross Feinstein, adding that its flexible travel policy covers 46 airports, allowing customers to change flights without penalty. More travelers are impacted but they aren’t stuck waiting in airports.

The problems are also hampering the airline’s booking system. But also call the airline directly. If the airline doesn’t have seats available on a later flight, or isn’t booking anyone onto flights, try another airline. “Even if you’re not traveling to a destination affected by bad weather, there is a chance that the crew or aircraft needed for your flight could be coming from an area that is affected”. So consider buying a one-day pass. It typically costs $50 but discounts can sometimes be found in advance online.