Airlines including Emirates and Qatar Airways have cancelled flights to the US amid devastating winter storms causing travel chaos across North America.
Eighteen US states have declared a state of emergency as a powerful winter storm sweeps across the country, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights.
The states that have declared emergencies include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, in addition to the capital, Washington.
Emirates cancels Dubai – US flights
In response to the anticipated severe impact of Storm Fern across parts of the US, the following Emirates flights have been cancelled:
- EK221/ January 24 – Dubai to Dallas
- EK222 / January 24 – Dallas to Dubai
- EK203/January 25 ‑ Dubai to New York
- EK204/ January 25 – New York to Dubai
- EK201 / January 25 – Dubai to New York
- EK202/ January 25 – New York to Dubai
- EK205/ January 25 – Milan to New York
- EK206/ January 25 – New York to Milan
- EK209/ January 25 – Athens to Newark
- EK210/ January 25 – Newark to Athens
- EK231/ January 25 – Dubai to Washington
- EK232/ January 25 – Washington to Dubai
- EK203/ January 26 ‑ Dubai to New York
- EK204/ January 26 – New York to Dubai
The airline said, customers connecting through Dubai on the above cancelled flights will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin.
Major impact of US storms
The storm is affecting more than 180m people from New Mexico to Maine, with forecasts warning of heavy snowfall of up to 12 inches in the Ohio Valley and along the East Coast, as well as widespread ice threatening roads and power supplies.
More than 2,300 flights were cancelled today, Saturday, with thousands more expected to be cancelled tomorrow, particularly at Dallas and Atlanta airports.
Airlines, including Delta, announced flight suspensions across five states, with passengers being automatically rebooked.
Relief organisations have mobilised resources, including 250,000 meals and 400,000 litres of water in Louisiana, with rescue teams on standby.
Schools and federal offices in Washington announced closures on Monday, while authorities urged the public to avoid travel due to the risks posed by ice and freezing conditions.
Qatar Airways warning
Qatar Airways also said flights could be impacted due to the US winter storm.
It said: “Passengers travelling to, and from, the USA are advised to check qatarairways.com or the Qatar Airways app for the latest updates on flight operations that may be affected due to the current winter storm”.
According to data collected from travel information website, Flight Aware, flights to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport and these destinations will be impacted:
- Dallas-Fort Worth Airport
- John F Kennedy, New York Airport
- Washington Dulles Airport
- Boston Logon Airport
Etihad Airways has also cancelled flights to the US.
It said: “Etihad Airways flights to and from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) scheduled for Sunday 25 January have been cancelled due to airport closures and severe weather conditions affecting North America”.
The affected flights are:
- EY1 Abu Dhabi (AUH) – New York (JFK)
- EY3 Abu Dhabi (AUH) – New York (JFK)
- EY2 New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- EY4 New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- EY5 Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Washington (IAD)
- EY6 Washington (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)
All other Etihad Airways services to the United States and Canada are currently planned to operate as scheduled.
Etihad Airways added: “This remains an evolving weather situation and further delays or cancellations may occur if conditions require.
“Affected guests are being assisted by Etihad teams and will be rebooked on alternative flights when services resume, or offered a full refund where requested. The safety and comfort of our guests and crew remain our highest priority, and we apologise for the inconvenience caused”.
More regional airline disruption
- Lufthansa: Lufthansa said on January 14 it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, and would only operate day flights to Tel Aviv and Amman between January 14 and January 19. Some flights could be cancelled as a result of these actions, it added in a statement that day
- British Airways: British Airways temporarily suspended flights to Bahrain on January 16 as a precautionary measure, saying it “continue(d) to keep the situation in the region under close review”. Flights to Bahrain were once again available on the BA website on January 24, and a spokesperson for the airline said all its flights were going ahead as scheduled
- Finnair: Finnair said in a statement on January 16 it had stopped flying through Iraqi airspace, travelling to Doha and Dubai over Saudi Arabia instead. The carrier had already been avoiding Iranian, Syrian and Israeli airspace for security reasons.
- Wizz Air: A Wizz Air spokesperson said in January that the company avoided Iraqi and Iranian airspace. “Therefore some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports will have to make (refuelling and crew change) stops in Larnaca, Cyprus or Thessaloniki, Greece,” the representative said.
