Air India, Delta Cancel NYC Flights Ahead of Severe Winter Storm

Major airlines including Air India and Delta Air Lines have preemptively cancelled flights across the U.S. East Coast in response to forecasts for a severe winter storm. Air India announced the cancellation of all its flights to and from New York and Newark scheduled for February 23. The decision was prompted by Winter Storm Hernando, which is expected to bring heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions to the region.

U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines also took proactive measures, announcing cancellations and issuing travel waivers for flights on February 22 and 23. The operational adjustments affect several major Northeast airports, including its hubs at Boston's General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The moves are intended to ensure operational safety for passengers and staff ahead of the storm's arrival.

Widespread Disruptions Across Northeast

The flight disruptions follow severe weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). The agency issued blizzard warnings for New York City and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, marking the first such warning for the city since 2017. Authorities forecast that the powerful storm could bring up to 1.5 feet (46 cm) of snow to the New York City metropolitan area. The NWS confirmed that snow and storm warnings are in effect from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast, with the heaviest impact expected between Sunday and Monday.

In a travel advisory, Air India cited safety as the primary reason for the grounding of its services. “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 February,” the airline stated. Air India confirmed that dedicated teams were in place to assist affected passengers with rebooking and other travel support.

Operational and Passenger Impact

The proactive cancellations by Air India and Delta align with a broader industry trend of managing irregular operations (IROPS) before severe weather impacts major hubs. By cancelling flights in advance, airlines aim to prevent aircraft and crews from being stranded, which can cause cascading delays and cancellations across their entire network for days. This strategy prioritizes a faster operational recovery once weather conditions improve.

For affected passengers, the cancellations trigger specific entitlements and assistance. Delta encouraged customers to modify travel plans by offering to waive change fees. This allows travelers to rebook on alternative flights outside the storm's window without financial penalty. Under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, passengers on any cancelled flight are entitled to a full cash refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of the reason for the cancellation, including weather.

While airlines must rebook passengers on the next available flight at no additional cost, they are generally not required to compensate travelers for consequential expenses such as hotels or meals during weather-related disruptions. Passengers are advised to check directly with their airline for the most current flight status and rebooking options.

Why This Matters

This coordinated response to Winter Storm Hernando highlights the aviation industry's evolving strategy for managing severe weather events. Proactive, large-scale cancellations have become a standard operating procedure to protect passenger and crew safety while minimizing long-term network disruption. The event underscores the operational fragility of congested Northeast airspace to major weather systems and reinforces the importance of clear communication and flexible rebooking policies in maintaining customer goodwill during unavoidable service interruptions.

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