News / Air & Airports

2,000+ flights cancelled as U.S. east coast recovers from record snowfall

Michael Pihach

02-24-2026 9:15 am

Michael Pihach

Michael Pihach is an award-winning journalist with a keen interest in digital storytelling. In addition to PAX, Michael has also written for CBC Life, Ryerson University Magazine, IN Magazine, and DailyXtra.ca. Michael joins PAX after years of working at popular Canadian television shows, such as Steven and Chris, The Goods and The Marilyn Denis Show.

Flight disruptions continue in eastern areas of the United States and Canada today (Feb. 24) after a powerful winter storm struck the east coast on Monday (Feb. 23), delivering record-breaking snowfall that forced thousands of flight cancellations.

FlightAware reports that over 2,200 U.S. flights were cancelled on Tuesday, February 24, and more than 800 were delayed, with Boston, Newark, and LaGuardia among the worst-affected airports.

The so-called "nor'easter,” which forecasters also call a “bomb cyclone,” has now moved away from the U.S. to the coastal parts of eastern Canada, according to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS)

Parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts recorded nearly 37 inches (94 cm) of snow yesterday, while more than 19 inches fell in New York City’s Central Park, according to the NWS.

Weather warnings extended from North Carolina to northern Maine, with additional alerts issued in parts of eastern Canada.

In New York City, a travel ban brought the city of more than eight million people to a near standstill before it was lifted at Noon local time

Several thousand flights were cancelled late Sunday, through to Monday, primarily out of Boston, Newark in New Jersey and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.

Flexible change policies

Canadian airlines have adjusted their operations in response to the wintry conditions.

Air Canada’s flexible change policy for select U.S. cities—including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington—as well as Atlantic Canada destinations such as Charlottetown, Deer Lake, Fredericton, Halifax, Moncton, Saint John (New Brunswick), and St. John’s (Newfoundland), will expire at the end of today (Feb. 24).

WestJet’s $0 one-time fee waiver policy for New York (JFK) flights expired yesterday. However, the airline is allowing flexible changes for its flights to Moncton, St. John’s and Halifax until the end of today.

Porter Airlines has also implemented a flexible change policy for flights to and from Fredericton, New York (LaGuardia and Newark), and St. John’s, NL, effective February 24.

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