Airlines in the United States canceled more than 1,200 flights on Friday after a severe winter storm triggered power outages and damaged businesses in 12 states, threatening a hard freeze on flights over the weekend, writes UNN citing Reuters.
Details
According to flight tracking website FlightAware, as of 7:14 a.m. local time (2:14 p.m. Kiev - ed.), a total of 1,243 flights have been canceled and 514 flights have been delayed.
"We expect some operational issues due to weather in the Midwest today and possibly tomorrow due to winter weather in the region," Delta Air Lines said.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned Thursday that clouds, snow and wind could delay flights at some airports.
United Airlines Holdings topped the list of canceled flights with 238 flights, followed by Southwest Airlines' 215 flights. The company also canceled some flights through Saturday amid the company is awaiting regulatory approval to resume operating Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the country.
Supplement
On Thursday, the FAA launched a formal investigation into the 737 MAX 9 after the Alaska Airlines jet exploded a cabin panel in midair last week, forcing an emergency landing.