Disruption continues across the eastern United States, with airlines still recovering after a powerful storm system triggered widespread cancellations and delays earlier this week.
While the worst of the weather has now moved offshore, knock-on disruption remains significant, particularly at major East Coast hubs including New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Boston.
Disruption easing
At the peak of the storm earlier this week major carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest were heavily impacted.
On Tuesday (March 17), disruption remained widespread, with over 1,100 cancellations and more than 7,300 delays as airlines struggled to reposition aircraft and crews.
As of 18.00 (EST) on Monday, March 16, more than 5,000 flights had been cancelled and more than 9,824 had been delayed, according to FlightAware. That figure includes domestic flights as well as flights to and from airports in the U.S.
As of today, conditions are improving, but residual delays and cancellations are still affecting schedules, particularly on the East Coast where aircraft and crew imbalances persist following days of disruption.
Major hubs still affected
Key eastern hubs continue to see irregular operations:
- New York (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark) – ongoing delays due to backlog and airspace congestion
- Atlanta (Hartsfield-Jackson) – one of the worst affected earlier this week, with disruption still rippling through schedules
- Washington, D.C. airports – recovering after earlier operational and weather-related disruption
- Boston and Philadelphia – experiencing delays linked to earlier severe weather and staffing pressures
At the height of the storm, some airports saw more than half of flights delayed or cancelled, highlighting the scale of the disruption across the network.
Earlier this week, a blizzard warning was in effect at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, which reported the most cancellations, a total of 544, alongside 1,064 delays.
LaGuardia Airport had more than 400 cancelled flights and over 250 delays.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Douglas International Airport had more than 380 cancellations and 430 delays.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Orlando International Airport were among the other major hubs reporting disruptions because of the storm.
American Airlines reported more than 500 cancellations, while Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines each had over 400. Airlines issued travel waivers, allowing passengers to change flights without penalties as the storm disrupts schedules.
Green Bay, in Wisconsin, recorded its heaviest snowfall in 136 years, with Fox News reporting that 26.1 inches (66.2 centimetres) fell on the city by 13.00 on Monday, March 16.
A similar amount of snow fell on Spalding, Michigan.
Outlook
With the storm system now moving into the Atlantic, disruption is expected to gradually ease through the end of the week. However, the scale of earlier cancellations means delays could persist into the weekend, particularly on high-frequency East Coast routes.
Winds reaching speeds of up to 80mph have been recorded on the East Coast. There is a risk of tornadoes from the Mid-Atlantic to the Carolinas.
The disruptions come at a busy time for travel, with spring break traditionally a time for getting away and people in parts of Canada are already on their March Break.
Airlines and airports are advising passengers to check the status of the flight and to allow extra time at security.
Although weather conditions are improving, airlines warn that recovery will take several days, particularly during the busy spring travel period.
