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On Sunday, over 1,700 flights were canceled as airports struggled to recover from a winter storm that brought heavy snow, high winds, and persistent power outages.
WASHINGTON — Flight disruptions remained widespread across the United States on Sunday as a formidable winter storm system moved out of the Southeast, leaving behind significant travel challenges.
By Sunday afternoon, nationwide cancellations had surpassed 1,740, according to FlightAware, following nearly 2,500 flight cancellations on Saturday when the storm was at its peak. In addition to cancellations, thousands of flights experienced delays as airports dealt with the aftermath of snow, strong winds, and freezing temperatures.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport was the most affected, with over 800 flights canceled on Sunday. This followed more than 1,000 cancellations on Saturday, as the city faced its heaviest snowfall in decades.
The storm, driven by a rapidly intensifying system known as a bomb cyclone, covered parts of the Carolinas and neighboring states in snow, creating blizzard-like conditions in several regions.
Snowfall totals topped a foot in parts of North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service, while South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and West Virginia also reported significant accumulations.
Power outages also persisted across the region, with tens of thousands of customers still without electricity early Sunday, though outage numbers were down from Saturday evening as crews worked to restore service.
Airlines urged passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and to allow extra time as operations gradually return to normal.
What happens if your flight is canceled or delayed?
Regardless of the reason, airlines must offer a refund to travelers if it cancels or make significant changes to a flight, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.Â
That requirement includes travelers with non-refundable tickets, as long as the passenger does not accept an alternative offered by the airline, like rebooking a different flight.
Apart from a required refund, airlines aren’t required to issue money or other compensation under federal law, according to department officials.Â
Travelers experiencing long delays or canceled flights can ask airline staff if they will pay for meals, a hotel room, or compensate them for their time, but that would fall under each airline’s specific policies. Those policies may also only cover “controllable” issues or delays and cancellations caused by the airline, such as maintenance problems, cabin cleaning, or fueling.
“If you have a problem obtaining a refund that you believe that you are entitled to receive, you may file a complaint with the DOT,” the department said on its website. “If you are an airline passenger with a disability looking for more information regarding your rights during air travel, please follow this link to our disability webpage.”