Hundreds of flights expected to be canceled Monday due to winter storm

  26 January 2015    Read: 720
Hundreds of flights expected to be canceled Monday due to winter storm
Hundreds of flights to and from the Northeast were expected to be canceled Monday as the region braced for a massive winter storm expected to hit its largest cities.
Airlines were preparing to shut down operations along the East Coast late Sunday, leading to the cancelation of approximately 1,700 flights, according to the tracking website FlightAware.com.

Most major airlines are allowing customers whose flights are canceled in the next few days to book new flights without paying a penalty. Customers ticketed on flights to dozens of Eastern airports are generally eligible for the allowance, though specific terms vary by airline.

Between two and three feet of snow is expected to fall in New York City, while Boston is forecast to receive between 18 and 24 inches of snow. Philadelphia is expected to receive between 14 and 18 inches of snow.

Air travel isn`t the only mode of transportation expected to be affected by the coming storm. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned New York City commuters that the storm could force the closure of the city`s subway, as well as the Metro North, Long Island Railroad, and PATH commuter trains ahead of the Monday evening rush hour. Cuomo also said in a Twitter post that major roads including the New York State Thruway, Interstate 84, and the Long Island Expressway could also be shut down until the storm passes.

Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have advised people to work from home Monday, if possible. "If you must go to work, go in early and go home early," de Blasio said in a Twitter message Sunday afternoon. "It will not be safe to be on the roads in the snow."

The Greater New York Taxi Association offered free cab service for emergency responders trying to get to work, and disabled and elderly residents who become stranded.

No sporting events have yet been canceled or postponed as a result of the snow. The New York Rangers decided to practice Monday afternoon at the Islanders` home arena on Long Island instead of at their own training facility just outside New York City. They`ll stay overnight on Long Island for Tuesday`s game against their rival -- if it`s still held.

The Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots expected to be out of town by the time the storm arrives in Boston. The team plans to leave Logan Airport at 12:30 p.m. Monday for Phoenix, where the temperature will reach the high 60s.

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