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Air India Cancels US Flights as Monster Winter Storm Threatens East Coast

Air India has cancelled all flights to and from New York and Newark for January 25th and 26th due to a forecasted severe winter storm on the US East Coast. The National Weather Service warns of hazardous to impossible travel conditions, advising people to avoid travel. The massive storm system, affecting over two-thirds of the US population, is expected to bring crippling ice and snow from Texas to New England. At least 15 states have declared states of emergency, mobilizing resources ahead of the severe weather.

Key Points: Air India Cancels NY, Newark Flights Over US Winter Storm

  • Flights to/from NY & Newark cancelled
  • 15 US states declare state of emergency
  • Storm spans 2000 miles Texas to New England
  • Hundreds of thousands may lose power
3 min read

Air India issues travel advisory ahead of severe winter storm in US; flights cancelled

Air India cancels flights to/from New York & Newark on Jan 25-26 due to a severe US winter storm. 15 states declare emergencies.

"Hazardous to impossible driving conditions are expected. Avoid travel if at all possible. - National Weather Service"

New Delhi, January 24

Air India has issued a travel advisory ahead of the severe winter storm forecasted for the US East Coast.

As per the statement posted on X, Air India said that all of its flights to and from New York and Newark have been cancelled on 25 and 26 January.

In a post on X, Air India said, "A severe winter storm with heavy snow is forecast for New York, New Jersey and adjoining areas in the US East Coast from early Sunday morning to Monday, which will have a significant impact on flight operations. In view of the safety, well-being and convenience of our passengers and crew, all Air India flights to and from New York and Newark have been cancelled on 25 and 26 January. Our dedicated teams will extend all assistance to you if you are booked to fly with us on these dates. For more information related to this please connect with our 24x7 Call Centre at +91 1169329333, +91 1169329999. You are also requested to check our website http://airindia.com".

The National Weather Service of US warned people to take the storm seriously.

According to the National Weather Service, moderate to major impacts are expected across the Central US and into the Northeast from Saturday through the weekend.It advised against travelling due to the weather conditions, saying, "Hazardous to impossible driving conditions are expected. Avoid travel if at all possible. Widespread closures and disruption to infrastructure may also occur."

According to CNN, two-thirds of the US population is facing a monster winter storm and extreme cold. The storm's snow and ice will stretch over 2,000 miles from Texas to New England as it moves east through the weekend.

This would result in crippling ice accumulations affecting power lines, with hundreds of thousands may lose power, some for days.

Thousands of flights have already been cancelled ahead of the storm, with travel on roads across the storm's footprint said to be difficult to impossible.

It reported that at least 15 states have declared a state of emergency to mobilise resources for responding and preparing for the storm as of Friday afternoon.

These include Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey and Kansas.Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a disaster declaration covering 134 counties to mobilise resources. Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser also declared a state of emergency for the nation's capital on Friday.

As per CNN, more than half of all Americans will experience subzero wind chills in the next week.

Ahead of the historic winter storm that would affect most of the United States over the weekend, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the administration is coordinating with state and local officials, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ready to respond.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Wow, that storm sounds brutal. Two-thirds of the US population affected? We complain about Delhi's winter, but this is on another level. Stay safe, everyone there. ❄️
A
Arjun K
While the advisory is necessary, Air India's communication could be better. They should proactively SMS/email all affected passengers, not just post on X. Many of our parents traveling won't check social media.
S
Sarah B
My husband is in New York on business. He says the city is preparing but it's chaos. Glad his return flight on the 26th is cancelled—better to wait it out. The scale of this is unimaginable for us in Mumbai.
V
Vikram M
This is the right call. Safety first always. I remember flight delays during fog in North India, but a storm covering 2000 miles? That's a different beast. Hope our students and NRIs there are stocked up and safe.
K
Karthik V
Subzero wind chills for over half of Americans... that's chilling to read (pun intended). We should be grateful for our relatively mild winters. Thoughts with all those affected, especially the vulnerable.

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