US Mid-Atlantic braces itself for storm Jonas with major flight cancellations

Almost a year ago to the day when the winter storm labelled Juno, described as “the worst snowstorm in history”, shut down massive tracts of the USA, today has seen an impending Mid-Atlantic snowstorm see thousands of flights cancelled in advance of the anticipated weekend weather. According to the US National Weather Service, the storm “will impact a large portion of the East Coast from the southern Appalachians through the Mid-Atlantic states from Friday into the weekend. Snowfall totals may exceed two feet in portions of these areas, including the Baltimore and Washington DC metropolitan areas.”
At 1400 EST and according to the Flightaware “Total cancellations within, into, or out of the United States today: 2,830.” Of the airlines hardest hit, American Airlines have canceled 798 flights, Southwest 498, United 215, Expressjet 199 and Delta 170.
By airport, the hardest hit has been Charlotte/Douglas Intnl. (KCLT) with 396 outbound and 389 inbound cancellations. Other airports with substantial respective outbound and inbound cancellations include 130/185 for Regan National (KDCA), 128/102 for Hartsfield-Jackson Intl (KATL), 123/123 for Raleigh-Durham Intl (KRDU), 122/161 for Washington Dulles Intl (KIAD) and 119/169 for Baltimore/Washington Intl (KBWI).
According to the American Airlines travel alert, they are allowing for a relaxation in their change fees policies for travel to/from or through BWI, Charleston, W.Va. (CRO), Charlottesville, Va. (CHO), Lynchburg, Va. (LYH), PHL, Richmond, Va. (RIC), Roanoke, Va. (ROA) and Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National airports. They are also indicating that “One-time ticketing fees will be waived for changes made for ticketed travel Jan. 22-24 if it occurs instead Jan. 20-26, 2016.”
For Delta Air Lines travelers with flights scheduled Jan. 24-26, the airline is allowing a one-time no charge change to their ticket if travel is rebooked to begin by Jan. 27, 2016.
JetBlue is waiving change and cancel fees as well as the difference in airfare for passengers who are scheduled to travel Jan. 22 and 23 to or from BWI, Richmond, Va. (RIC) and Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National airports. According to the airline “customers may rebook flights for travel through Jan. 29, 2016, and that customers with canceled flights can opt for a refund instead.”
United Airlines’ travel waiver advisory covers numerous East Coast cities and tickets for traveling between Jan. 22 and 24. According to the airline’s website “The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new flights departing on or before Jan. 20-27, 2016, as long as travel is rescheduled in the same cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.”
United Airlines spokeswoman, Maddie King, stated that “We want to give our customers plenty of time to make decisions about their travel plans.”
The current winter storm, names Jonas, has seen a state of emergency declared in Washington along with Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia, with West Virginia announcing a state of preparedness.