Winter storm, Mexico violence cancel 5,600+ flights

A severe winter snowstorm across the northeastern United States, violence following a powerful cartel leader’s killing in Mexico, and a partial government shutdown converged Monday to disrupt air travel, with airlines canceling more than 5,600 flights. The overlapping crises cascaded through ground transportation networks and complicated border operations.

The confluence of disruptions exposed the fragility of interconnected travel systems, where crises in one region ripple into widespread delays elsewhere. The partial federal government shutdown also illustrated how funding lapses affect civilian transportation infrastructure, including programs that ease the return of U.S. travelers from abroad.

Winter Weather Grounds Northeast

A powerful snowstorm brought heavy snow, strong winds and blizzard warnings across the northeastern United States on Monday, upending daily routines from Boston through Washington, D.C. The National Weather Service said travel conditions were “extremely treacherous” and “nearly impossible” in areas hit hardest by the storm.

Air traffic slowed dramatically. More than 5,600 flights into, out of or within the U.S. were canceled, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking service. Over 3,000 additional flights were delayed.

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport reported the highest numbers of cancellations, followed by airports in Boston, Newark, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Smaller airports, including Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport, temporarily suspended operations.

Michael McCormick, an associate professor of air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said the storm’s wide geographic reach created a problem that would persist beyond Monday. “This storm is so wide-ranging, it’s impacted major hubs along the Northeast. And those airports are the most vulnerable airports in terms of getting aircraft and air crews positioned to be able to fly their schedule,” McCormick said. Cancellations will “gradually decrease daily,” he added, but more than 1,900 flights were already canceled for Tuesday.

Public and ground transportation networks ground to a halt as well. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority removed articulated buses from service during the storm, while the Long Island Rail Road temporarily suspended all services. Amtrak stopped all service between New York Moynihan Train Hall and Boston South Station through the end of Monday.

Benjamin Lundell and Thomas Mehari, network consultants from Sweden on a business trip, were among travelers stranded in New York. Their flight to Texas was canceled. “We’re dressed for Houston currently,” Lundell said as he trudged through knee-high snow in a thin jacket and jeans searching for a new hotel in Manhattan.

Mexico Violence Compounds Disruption

While northeastern airports ground to a halt, violence in Mexico created additional travel obstacles. After the killing on Sunday of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, Mexico’s most powerful cartel leader, in Jalisco state, local and foreign governments issued travel warnings and safety guidance.

Retaliatory attacks have put much of Mexico on edge since Oseguera Cervantes’s death. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus suspended public transportation on Sunday and urged residents to stay in their homes. The U.S. State Department advised American citizens in parts of Jalisco and other states to shelter in place and avoid non-essential travel. Canadian authorities issued similar guidance.

Airlines including AeroMexico, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Air Canada canceled or scaled back flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Many offered flexible rebooking options.

Steve Perkins, an Oklahoma IT consultant, said he and his wife were stranded in Puerto Vallarta after their Monday flight home was canceled. Perkins said he and his wife heard an explosion and later saw plumes of black smoke surrounding the downtown on Sunday morning. “My wife called our kids to tell them goodbye if we were never gonna see them again, that kind of thing. It was fairly unsettling,” Perkins said. He said he would have to resume working from Puerto Vallarta until travel resumed.

Government Shutdown Halts Global Entry

Federal operations added another layer of disruption when the Department of Homeland Security suspended Global Entry over the weekend due to a partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14. Global Entry allows pre-approved travelers to use expedited kiosks when entering the U.S. from abroad. The suspension will remain in place until the shutdown ends.

The suspension could mean longer wait times for some returning passengers at international airports. The Transportation Security Administration, working without pay during the funding lapse, initially planned to halt its PreCheck program as well but ended up not doing so. TSA indicated it still might suspend PreCheck on a “case-by-case basis” as staffing constraints arise.

What Airlines Are Offering

U.S. airlines are required by law to provide refunds for canceled flights. Many carriers also offer travelers a chance to postpone their trips by a few days without paying a fee when they expect severe disruptions.

Airlines including JetBlue, Delta, American, United, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Air Canada and AeroMexico are offering rebooking options for customers impacted by the winter weather and Mexico-related security challenges.