Winter Storm Inga: Hundreds Of Flights Canceled In Texas, Northeast US

Flights cancelled due to winter storm — Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed as a second winter storm threatened airports across the U.S., Jan 16.2017. Above, Passengers wait for their delayed flights at gate 8 in terminal five at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the Queens borough of New York City, Jan. 4, 2018 . Getty Images/Rebecca Butala How

Hundreds of flights were canceled Tuesday as a second winter storm impacted airports and travel across the United States.

As winter storm Inga hit most parts of Texas and the East Coast, bringing snow, rain and fleet with it, several airlines announced cancellation or delay of flights. Some flights were also grounded.

As many as 600 flights scheduled for Wednesday stood canceled as of 10.30 p.m. EST Tuesday, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware. Several airlines operating flights in the area, including American, Southwest, Spirit, Delta and JetBlue, waived date- change fees or cancel fees and fare differences for customers who were travelling from certain airports Tuesday and Wednesday, including Boston, John F. Kennedy and La Guardia in New York among others.

A full list of airports included in the waiver program were listed on the airlines’ respective websites along with a list of the terms and conditions.

While we can't refund your fare if a flight you aren't booked on is cancelled, your current flight may qualify for a fee waiver should you choose to make any changes to avoid the storm. Check it out at https://t.co/rpkMX9hgAl.
— JetBlue (@JetBlue) January 16, 2018

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, as many as 2,283 flights were canceled due to the storm and 13,901 more were delayed as of 10.30 p.m. EST.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas saw 800 flights being canceled and for about a third of the airport's entire daily schedule being affected as the storm hit the eastern part of the state. Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport was also affected with 225 cancellations being reported there, representing about half of Tuesday's schedule as ice and freezing rain hit the city, leaving runways icy.

Bill Begley of Houston Airport System told ABC affiliate KTRK that about 180 people were stranded at Bush Intercontinental. The airport provided cots, food and toiletries to those passengers.

About 260 flights from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the U.S., were canceled.

According to Reuters, more than 700 flights of United Airlines were canceled Tuesday and was offering waiver of charges for flight changes to and from Boston, New York, Philadelphia and other affected airports for scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday flights. American Airlines had canceled around 270 flights between Tuesday and Wednesday as a result of the storm. Delta Air Lines said it had canceled 275 flights and further cancellations were expected Wednesday in New York and Boston as the storm progressed north.

According to USA Today, airlines operating flights in the northeast states, where light to moderate snow was forecasted across much of the region, were also waiving rebooking fees. Many of U.S’ busiest airports — including those in New York, Washington, Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia — were likely to get accumulating snow late Tuesday into Wednesday.

This is the second winter storm in a span of two weeks to cause disruptions to air travel in the U.S. In the first week of the year, airlines canceled more than 7,000 flights due to a powerful winter storm Grayson that struck the East Coast. The blizzard also stranded thousands and led to a days'-long delays at JFK Airport.