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Thousands of Flights Canceled Across US as Blizzard Slams Northeast

Flight-tracking website FlightAware reported more than 5,000 canceled flights across the U.S.

The "bomb cyclone" storm that slammed the East Coast Thursday grounded thousands of flights and was affecting entire airports in New York City, Boston and elsewhere.

Flight-tracking website FlightAware reported more than 5,000 canceled flights across the U.S., with more cancellations anticipated for Friday as the region braced for the extreme temperature drop expected to follow the storm. 

More than 1,000 flights were canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport, while Boston Logan International Airport saw at least 700 canceled. Get more information on flight cancellations here.  

Flights were suspended at New York's John F. Kennedy International due to strong winds and whiteout conditions. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the flights will resume at 7 a.m. Friday.

Air traffic suspensions at LaGuardia Airport have been lifted, but authorities advise passengers to contact their airlines regarding specific flights.

Hundreds more flights at Philadelphia and Hartford Bradley international airports were canceled. 

The airport in Portland, Maine, Portland International Jetport, announced that all departures were canceled Thursday, along with seven of 35 departures Friday.

Hundreds more flights on Friday were already canceled as well, according to FlightAware. The agency said de-icing planes will limit airport operations even after the storm passes through, as much of the region was expecting an extreme temperature drop immediately following the storm.

Many airlines have waived fees for passengers to cancel or change flights that have been affected by the storm. Would-be travelers are encouraged to check with their airline for details. Find more information here on what you can do if your flight was one of the thousands canceled.

As the storm rumbled through New England Thursday afternoon, Marcus Slaga hunkered down at a hotel bar in Boston's partly flooded Seaport District. The 44-year-old sushi chef said his morning flight to Austin, Texas, was among the many canceled.

"I was hoping to wear shorts by this weekend," Slaga laughed. "Now, I'm stuck here for a couple of more days."

Linda Heuman and Amy Remensnyder were supposed to fly to Berlin on Thursday, but the flight was canceled. That left them stuck in their home in Providence, Rhode Island, with no food. So they trekked through the snow to a grocery store nearly a mile away.

Their plans for the rest of the day were simple: Make soup, do some desk work and maybe watch a movie with popcorn, Remensnyder said.

Rail service was affected too. Amtrak operated a modified schedule between New York and Boston. Northeast Regional Service between Washington, D.C., and Newport News/Norfolk, Virginia, was canceled.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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