Airlines cancel hundreds of flights due to winter storm

More than 1,400 U.S. flights were canceled and 11,000 delayed over the weekend after a major winter storm hit the northeastern United States, straining carriers during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Snowfall totals in the region were lower than previous forecasts, although New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey each recorded more than four inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

More than 130 flights, or about a fifth of scheduled departures from Kennedy Airport, were canceled, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Another 87 departures were canceled from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, about 20% of the day’s scheduled departures and 72, or 12%, of departures from Newark were canceled.

Airlines canceled more than 1,700 flights Friday, most before the storm. Nearly 400 U.S. flights were canceled on Sunday, according to FlightAware.

American airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways and other carriers waived change fees for restrictive basic economy tickets last week. They said they would not charge a fare difference to other customers traveling to and from many airports in the northeastern United States.

Customers must travel by the end of the year if they change flights, the airlines said. Flying as early as possible is probably the best solution, as few seats are available during the busy Christmas week.

Airlines for America, the industry lobbying group, expects carriers to carry a record 52.6 million people between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5, with Friday and Sunday among the busiest days.

Airlines typically cancel flights in advance of anticipated major weather events, such as blizzards or hurricanes, to prevent planes, connecting travelers and crews from getting stranded and causing further disruptions.