TRAVEL chaos has hit the US during peak holiday season as winter storm Devin triggered emergency declarations and sent flight schedules into meltdown.
Airlines warned passengers to brace for more disruption as snow and ice hit during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
Sign up for The US Sun newsletter
Thank you!
Hundreds of flights have been canceled and thousands delayed after a major snowstorm battered the northeastCredit: Reuters
Travelers have been left stranded at airports over the busy holiday travel periodCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
New York declared a state of emergency as heavy snow and ice threatened roads, runways and weekend travel plans.
Forecasters warned over 40 million Americans were under winter storm warnings or weather advisories as the system pushed across the Midwest and Northeast.
FlightAware figures show 23,588 total delays today, including 5,762 within, into, or out of the US, with 1,275 total cancellations and 876 tied to US travel.
New York and New Jersey have been some of the worst hit areas with JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty topping the list for the most delays and cancelations.
TIER-ING UP
Airline launches new program Jan 1 that’ll make purchasing cheaper breezy
EYEING CHANGE
New airport ‘DNA’ law now in effect at US airports
Two US airlines, JetBlue and Delta have been the worst hit as they top the list for most cancelations and delays.
At least 167 JetBlue flights have been canceled so far, and 311 delayed, and over 200 Delta flights canceled and 658 delayed, per FlightAware.
Major disruption for these two airlines, as well as others, began on Friday with Delta and JetBlue canceling almost 500 flights combined.
The National Weather Service warned the storm “will cause hazardous travel conditions” from the Great Lakes into the northern Mid-Atlantic and southern New England.
Snow totals of 4 to 8 inches were forecast from upstate New York into the Tri-State area, including New York City and Long Island.
New York City saw about four inches Friday night into early Saturday, with higher totals reported in parts of Long Island and the Catskills.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Friday: “I encourage everyone to monitor local forecasts and avoid unnecessary travel. If you have to travel, plan ahead, take it slow, and leave plenty of time to get to where you need to go safely.”
New Jersey acting Governor Tahesha Way posted: “Due to the severe snowstorm, with the potential of icy and slippery conditions, I have declared a State of Emergency across the state, beginning this afternoon.
“Please monitor official updates and remain off the roads unless necessary. Stay safe, New Jersey!”
Mayor Eric Adams also warned New Yorkers online as the storm moved in, posting: “That white stuff is coming, NYC! We’re ready for however much we get.”
New York’s sanitation department has 700 million pounds of salt ready to treat icy roads.
This grim news over the busy travel period prompted airlines to shut down services for safety reasons and in an attempt to limit future disruption.
But as the weather continued to cause increasingly hazardous conditions, more and more delays and cancelations were listed.
TSA officials previously warned that December 27 would be one of the busiest travel days on record for the holiday period, with up to 2.86 million passengers taking to the skies across the country.
Swathes of travelers found themselves stuck at airports on Friday night, including at John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia, where hopeful flyers were pictured on the floor and lounging on chairs surrounded by luggage.
Snowplows clear snow at LaGuardia Airport in New York after a huge snowstormCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
One unlucky flyer who arrived in New York from Denver over Christmas had his flight canceled on the morning of December 26 and will be stuck at JFK until his next scheduled flight on Monday morning.
“I came to New York to have a ‘Home Alone’ Christmas just by myself,” Danniel Sermone, 31, told The New York Post.
“I wanted to hang out. I went shopping, and went to Times Square, crossed up there for a while with the big crowd.
“My next available flight is at 6 a.m. on the 28th.”
Meanwhile, a family from Brazil said they may have to wait until December 29 for a flight home.
For the rest of the weekend temperatures are expected to climb again with higher chances of rain than snow, though the National Weather Service has warned of a risk of freezing rain on Sunday.
Travelers are urged to check with their airlines before heading off as well as on any road closures and weather warnings.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.
Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun