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Mass transit systems across New York's Capital Region face significant disruptions as a major winter storm barrels toward the eastern United States, threatening travel plans for millions of people this weekend.
Albany International Airport officials are urging travelers to check their flight status before heading to the terminal, as delays and cancellations are expected throughout the weekend. More than 10,400 flight delays and over 800 cancellations occurred nationwide on Sunday, with similar or worse conditions anticipated as the storm intensifies.
The massive weather system is expected to impact more than 230 million people across the country from Friday through Monday. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm alerts for numerous cities, including Albany, warning of heavy snow, freezing rain, and dangerous conditions.
Amtrak has announced it may implement schedule and route changes depending on weather conditions. According to Amtrak, the rail service monitors weather conditions around the clock and will proactively cancel trains during extreme weather events for passenger safety. Additional charges will be waived for customers who want to alter their reservations.
Major airlines including Delta, American, United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Spirit have issued travel waivers for dozens of airports across the country. Nearly 1,300 flights have been canceled across the country through Saturday, with thousands more expected to be canceled into early next week.
Amtrak's National Operations Center and Emergency Management personnel are assessing railroad infrastructure conditions in real-time. If modified schedules become necessary, passengers can get train status updates on Amtrak.com and through the Amtrak mobile app. Schedule and service change announcements will be posted on the service's alerts page as far in advance as possible.
Travel experts are advising people to proactively change their travel plans before cancellations occur. "Proactively changing flights before cancellations hit is going to save you frustration," national travel expert Dayvee Sutton told reporters Thursday.
The storm's southern component is expected to bring a paralyzing ice storm beginning Friday, while heavy snow is forecast for the mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast portions of the Interstate 95 corridor are preparing for what could be their biggest snowstorm in years.
Passengers planning to travel through the Capital Region this weekend should monitor weather forecasts closely and contact their airlines or rail services for the latest updates on their travel plans.