New Delhi: Air India has cancelled all flights to and from New York and Newark scheduled for February 23 due to forecasts of a severe winter storm hitting the US East Coast.
The airline cited expected heavy snowfall across New York, New Jersey, and surrounding regions on February 22-23, which could severely disrupt operations, as the reason for these precautionary cancellations.
A travel advisory issued by Air India said the decision was taken keeping safety of passenger and crew in mind. “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 23 Februa
ry,” the airline said, adding that dedicated teams are assisting affected passengers with rebooking and travel support.
Reports said the National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings for communities from Maryland to Massachusetts, including New York City, Long Island and Boston. Forecasters say between 1 and 2 feet (30 to 61 centimetres) of snow is possible in many areas.
Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center, underscored the storm’s unusual scale.
“While we do get plenty of these nor’easters that produce heavy snow and strong impacts, it’s been several years since we saw one of this magnitude across this large of a region in this very populated part of the country,” he said.
Reports said the storm is expected to hit Washington and surrounding areas Sunday morning before moving toward Philadelphia and New York City. It is expected to reach Boston by evening. Some of the heaviest snow is projected overnight Sunday into Monday, with snowfall rates of up to 2 inches (5 centimetres) per hour in certain locations.