Summary

  • Severe thunderstorms lead to flight cancellations and delays at NYC airports like JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia.
  • Airlines like Spirit, Delta, and United experience significant delays due to the stormy weather conditions.
  • The disruption comes ahead of the busy Memorial Day weekend, with FAA anticipating a high number of flights.

Flights were grounded earlier today as severe thunderstorms swept across the New York City area. The storms brought with them strong winds and torrential rains, creating hazardous flying conditions and leading to the cancelation of dozens of flights.

Although the ground stop has now been lifted, some of the busiest airports in the country were affected, including John F. Kenney International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

Cancelations across the New York City area

At the time of writing, 34 flights were canceled at LaGuardia Airport, with scores more experiencing delays. Among the heaviest delays were Spirit Airlines Flight 171 to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Delta Air Lines Flight 5015 to Charleston (CHS), and WestJet Flight 7255 to Toronto (YYZ).

Meanwhile, 11 flights were grounded at Newark Liberty International Airport. With such a large presence at the hub, United Airlines took the largest hit in terms of the number of delayed flights. Among the flights with the most significant delays were flight 2357 to Tampa (TPA) and flight 1556 to San Juan (SJU).

A United Airlines Boeing 757-224 flying in the sky.

Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

While only three flights were canceled at John F. Kennedy International Airport, flights still experienced delays, including JetBlue Flight 75 to New Orleans (MSY), Flight 1869 to Punta Cana (PUJ), and Flight 1533 to Cartagena (CTG).

With airports throughout the New York City area having such extensive networks that stretch far and wide, the knock-on effect of the disruption is likely to be felt on a wider scale, and will take some time to recover. For example, Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) issued a warning to passengers on X (formerly known as Twitter):

Disruption ahead of the Memorial Day weekend

The disruption could not come at a worse time, as airports across the country prepare for the busy Memorial Day weekend travel period. Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it expects this Memorial Day weekend to be the busiest since 2010, with 53,515 flights nationwide on today and 50,129 on Friday.

American Airlines aircraft at the airport

Photo: American Airlines

The FAA Administrator, Mike Whitaker, highlighted the work going on behind the scenes to ensure a safe and efficient operation, saying,

“The FAA is working every day to make sure you get to your destination safely and on time, especially as more people than ever gear up to fly this summer. While we can’t control the weather – which is the number one reason for delays – we plan for and work around convective conditions. And to improve safety and enhance efficient operations on the runway, we are installing innovative new surface surveillance technologies at airports around the nation.”

Have you been affected by the disruption to flights in the New York City area caused by severe thunderstorms? Let us know by commenting below.

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