NASHVILLE, Tenn.
A massive winter storm paralyzed U.S. air travel Sunday, forcing the cancellation of more than 11,400 flights in what aviation analysts described as the nation’s worst air travel disruption since the pandemic.
The storm, which threatened nearly 180 million people from the Rocky Mountains to New England, swept across the South before moving into the Northeast on Sunday.
Snowfall projections ranged from 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) from Washington through New York and Boston, creating hazardous travel conditions.
By Sunday afternoon, airports across the region were experiencing cascading disruptions.
The impact was most severe in the Northeast, where LaGuardia Airport in New York suspended all operations until 8 p.m.
The airport’s shutdown was part of a broader pattern: by the afternoon, a majority of flights were canceled at major airports in the region and elsewhere, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported the storm as the highest single-day cancellation event since the pandemic, eclipsing disruptions from hurricanes and previous winter storms.
FlightAware data confirmed the widespread cancellations as airlines preemptively grounded flights ahead of the intensifying storm.
By James Kisoo
