Winter Storm Hits US East Coast, More Than 2,700 Flights Canceled

Illustration of American Airlines airline fleet. (Wikimedia Commons/DearEdward)

JAKARTA - Airlines canceled more than 2,700 United States flights on Sunday, as a winter storm that combines strong winds and ice is poised to hit the East Coast of the United States.

Flights were canceled at 12:30 a.m. ET (1730 GMT) Sunday, covering more than 2,700 arrivals and departures from or within the United States, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.com. Meanwhile, more than 1,500 flights were delayed, data showed.

American Airlines Group Inc., has had more than 600 flight cancellations. Nearly 95 percent of flights from Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, an American Airlines hub, were cancelled, the FlightAware website shows.

In light of the current situation, American Airlines allows weather-affected customers to rebook flights at no additional cost.

A major winter storm will hit the eastern United States Sunday through Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. The highest total snowfall is expected along the Appalachian ridge as well as across the lower Great Lakes.

The most significant ice sheet is expected to occur in the Carolinas, with significant impact across the region, the NWS said. About 74 million people were under a winter weather warning as of Saturday evening, according to the NWS.

Separately, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp tweeted on Sunday that people should avoid non-essential travel in hurricane-affected areas.

The governors of Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina have declared states of emergency due to the storm.