MIAMI – Many airlines around the country are continuing to monitor a major winter storm that is expected to impact Midwest, Northeast and East Coast airports in the United States this week.
With over 4 million passengers expected to make their way through Miami International and Fort Lauderdale Airport over the next two weeks, some airlines around the country are already reporting cancellations and delays due to the storm.
According to the American Automobile Association, “air travel will see a 14% increase over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly.”
Jack Varela, a spokesman at Miami International Airport, told Local 10 News Roy Ramos that airport personnel has also increased.
“Its a pretty large increase in passenger traffic and with that we have an increase in passenger security more TSA agents, custom agents and personnel here at the airport,” said Varela.
The storm is also impacting driving conditions from coast to coast with drivers barely able to see just feet in front of them.
Parts of the country could see the coldest temperatures in 40 years with reports of a 50 degree below zero wind chill in Wyoming.
“This is just the beginning--it’s going to be rough,” a traveler said.
Melanie Fish, an employee with Expedia, advises customers to “use the apps or the website that you booked your travel in” to receive the latest updates.
Airports in South Florida are already starting to feel the effects.
MIA told Local 10 News Thursday that they have had four canceled arrivals and four canceled departures due to a severe winter storm.
Travelers like Ashley Arcement said that American Airlines was accommodating when it came to shuffling flights.
“I moved it earlier --it was at 430 and they were awesome at American and moved me to a 2 o’clock so hopefully that gets me there,” she said.
The cities primarily affected are Chicago, Seattle and Toronto.
Local 10 News’ Christian De La Rosa visited MIA on Friday where he reported that cancellations included Austin, Toronto, Seattle, Baltimore Boston, St. Louis and even Santo Domingo due to the emerging storm.
The storm is also expected to bring strong winds and a possible flash freeze to parts of the midwest, east and south.
Ruthie White told Local 10 that she has been waiting for a flight since last night.
“We were delayed in Dallas, so I missed my connecting flight, so I don’t leave until 8:30 p.m,” said White.
Another couple told Local 10 News that they were coming back from their honeymoon but were stuck at MIA for 5 hours.
They are part of a record-breaking wave of holiday traffic expected to make its way through MIA over the coming weeks.
“We were supposed to have a layover in Baltimore but I don’t know we’re from Indiana, so we don’t know if we’re going to get back or not,” a traveler told Local 10 News.
FLL told Local 10 News that they are expecting around 90 delays of departures and arrivals.
“We saw some were canceled and some were delayed but it seemed like there were a bunch that were still on time just not ours,” said Erin Robbins, a traveler at MIA.
Experts advise customers to arrive 2 hours early for a domestic flight and 3 hours early for international, however, as Christmas nears, many are saying to plan ahead and get there as early as you can.