Mar 17, 2007 3:17 am US/Eastern
Cancellations Galore: Airports Now Parking Lots
American, JetBlue, Continental Become Storm Casualties
by Jay Dow
NEWARK (CBS) ―
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American Airlines grounded all of its flights out of the major tri-state area airports due to the winter storm that socked the region on March 16.
CBS
After a short reprieve of warm weather, Old Man Winter is back with a vengeance. Air traffic has been cancelled across our region, including at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The best advice you can get is to call your airline for an update on your incoming and outgoing flights.
CBS 2 has learned American Airlines has cancelled 265 flights in the Northeast, including all of its flights out of the three major tri-state area airports.
Earlier in the day, JetBlue cancelled nearly three-quarters of its flights nationwide, including nearly 200 out of the New York area.
"It's a strategic move to cancel your flights in advance to help you position aircraft and crews for a quick recovery when the storm is over," JetBlue spokesman Todd Burke said. "Our plan is working beautifully."
Other airlines also reported cancellations.
Continental Airlines -- Newark's largest carrier -- canceled 175 departures, or nearly half its normal schedule, said spokeswoman Julie King. It also scrapped about 75 other flights at John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports.
There were no happy reunions Friday for many travelers at Newark Liberty ... just very long goodbyes, as hundreds of passengers' flight plans -- after being delayed for several hours -- were finally cancelled because of bad weather.
The Princeton mock trial team didn't have any success arguing their case to other airlines, who also scratched incoming and outgoing flights.
"We had to cancel. We couldn't go at all. Because we couldn't get there. We're gonna have to miss it this year, which is a shame. (Yes) we're forfeiting."
At the JetBlue counter, customers were given very little information about their next step.
"Very upset. We miss our cruise," Olga from Brooklyn said. "Miss a cruise in Miami, so I don't know what to do."
Added a passenger named Kevin, who was waiting to pick up his mother-in-law:
"There's no information about where the flight is or ... it's due in at 1:15. We hope she's at Kennedy, but JetBlue hasn't given us much help."
Over at the Continental hub, a relative of one of our colleagues told CBS 2 she spent two hours on an idling plane on the tarmac.
It's unclear when the waiting will end ... and the "de-planing" will begin.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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