Thousands of Flights Disrupted as Winter Storm Blair Blankets Swaths of Country in Snow and Ice

Winter Storm Blair is causing major disruptions to air travel across the United States, with snow and freezing rain hitting the Midwest, Central Plains and moving into the East South Central and Mid-Atlantic regions by Sunday evening.

As of 8 a.m. eastern time, an ice storm from the polar vortex has caused more than 1,400 flights to be delayed or canceled, with Kansas City and St. Louis reporting cancellations in the triple-digits, reported Forbes.

In light of the sweeping protection policies the Department of Justice established for passengers, many airlines like American and Delta are offering travel waivers to rebook a flight without paying a far difference, but coverage varies based on the airline.

Experts are encouraging passengers affected by the cancellations to rebook their flight as soon as possible as delays may cascade throughout the day, affecting later flights, said Forbes.

To manage disruptions, consumers can check flight statuses via airline apps or FlightAware, an app that gives real time data on flights, which can show if planes are delayed.

Winter Storm Blair, fueled by a deep surge of moist Gulf air and Arctic cold, is set to bring record-breaking snowfall, ice and severe weather to 15 states today including cities like St. Louis, Kansas City and Indianapolis.

Forecasters are anticipating severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, which may cause power outages, in the South.

Originally published by Latin Times