If you’re flying anywhere near the US northeast right now, it’s advised to check your flight schedule before heading to the airport. A powerful winter storm has thrown peak holiday travel into disarray. Airlines have been grounding flights, and passengers are left stranded across the country. By midday Friday, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled, with thousands more delayed, according to data from FlightAware. One of the airlines included Emirates, which had to cancel and reschedule flights due the Winter storm in US.
US Winter Storm Disrupts Holiday Travel as Emirates Cancels New York Flights
The storm prompted airlines to make fast decisions regarding their schedules, and Emirates was no exception as mentioned in a report by Arabian Business. The Dubai-based carrier cancelled and rescheduled multiple New York services to avoid the worst of the weather for the safety of its passengers.
The signs turned grave, and the US National Weather Service issued winter storm alerts for the Great Lakes, northern Mid-Atlantic, and southern New England. The warning of dangerous travel conditions from Friday through Saturday morning. Heavy snow, strong winds, and low visibility made safe operations uncertain.
Emirates Adjusts New York Operations
To stay ahead of the storm, Emirates reshuffled its US schedule. Two flights departing from John F Kennedy International Airport were moved forward on Thursday evening. Flight EK202, originally set to leave at 11 pm on December 26, departed at 6 pm, landing in Dubai at 3.25 pm the following day. Flight EK206, bound for Milan and then Dubai, also left nearly three hours early at 7.30 pm.
Other routes didn’t make the cut. Emirates cancelled EK209 from Athens to Newark on December 26, even though the Dubai–Athens sector operated as planned. The return service, EK210 from Newark Liberty International Airport to Athens, was also cancelled, while the Athens to Dubai flight continued normally.
The Bigger Picture Across the US
Apart from the Emirates, 1,097 flights were cancelled, and 3,608 were delayed by midday Eastern Time across the US. Airports in snow-prone regions faced packed terminals, rolling delays, and stressed ground crews.
What Passengers Should Do Now
If your Emirates flight was affected, passengers have been advised to contact their travel agency for rebooking. You can also reach out to Emirates directly if they booked with the airline. Travellers departing New York should check flight status often and ensure contact details are up to date through the airline’s booking system.
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This winter storm arrived at the worst possible time, but early cancellations reduce bigger problems later. Emirates acted early to protect passengers and aircraft.
Cover Image Courtesy: Emirates/X
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