- By Ajeet Kumar
- Mon, 26 Jan 2026 04:12 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A massive winter storm made for a brutal travel day Sunday, with widespread cancellations and delays at some of the nation's busiest airports.
Widespread snow, sleet and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people - more than half the US population - in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, the National Weather Service said Saturday night. After sweeping through the South, the storm moved into the Northeast Sunday, and was expected to dump about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimetres) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.
Nearlu 11,000 flights cancelled
More than 10,800 flights were cancelled on Sunday, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that as of Sunday morning, the storm is the highest experienced cancellation event since the pandemic.
By Sunday afternoon, the majority of flights were cancelled at busy airports in the Northeast and elsewhere. LaGuardia Airport in New York closed Sunday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency said on its website the busy Queens airport grounded flights until 8 pm.
In Philadelphia, 94 per cent of flights, 326 flights, were cancelled. Ninety-one percent of flights, 433 flights, were cancelled at LaGuardia Airport in New York. New York's John F Kennedy International Airport had 460 flights cancelled, about 79 per cent of flights, according to FlightAware.
My flight was cancelled, now what?
If you're already at the airport, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. If you're still at home or at your hotel, call or go online to connect to your airline's reservations staff. Either way, it helps to also research alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.
Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge, but it depends on the availability of open seats.
Can I get booked on another airline?
You can, but airlines aren't required to put you on another carrier's flight. Some airlines, including most of the biggest carriers, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then, it can be a hit or miss.
Am I owed a refund?
If your flight was cancelled and you no longer want to take the trip, or you've found another way to get to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money - even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn't matter why the flight was cancelled.
The airline might offer you a travel credit, but you are entitled to a full refund. You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras that you didn't get to use.
(With inputs from PTI)
