Starting Friday, winter snow is coming to East Coast and will disrupt flight. In order to anticipate the service disruption, airlines offer refund and flight change.
USA Today reported that The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The Bureau is also closely monitoring the possible impacts of the storm, which are expected to include heavy snow extending from Washington, DC, to New York and Boston from Friday to Sunday.
In regard to the upcoming snow storm the National Weather Service announced, "Based on the anticipated storm track, as much as 1 to 2 feet of snow is possible near and northwest of I-95."
WJLA News reported that major airlines with flights leaving from or passing through the D.C. area issued statements on Wednesday ahead of the impending snow storm. They are offering to waive flight change fees and offering customers a full refund if a flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to weather conditions.
The snowstorm is expected to be a historic one in Washington DC. KXL News reported details of waiver and refunds offered by domestic carrierrs: American, United, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue. The waiver and refunds are offered to customers who travel to, from or through cities affected by the upcoming snowstorm.
American Airlines offer change fee for customers travelling to/from Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Charleston (CRO), Charlottesville (CHO), Lynchburg (LYH), PHL, Richmond (RIC), Roanoke (ROA) and Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National airports.
United Airlines offer waiver for customers along East Coast cities for Jan. 22-24 ticket. The carrier offer customers to change flights on or before Jan. 20-27, and change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for the new flights. The waiver is valid as long as travel is rescheduled in the same cabin at any fare class, and between the same cities as originally ticketed.
Madie King, United Airlines spokeswoman told USA Today regarding the waiver, "We want to give our customers plenty of time to make decisions about their travel plans."
Delta Airlines provided a refund for canceled or significantly delayed flight for scheduled flights on Jan. 24-26. The airline also offer ticket change without fee starting Jan. 27.
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines offered reschedule for passengers with ticket reserved for Jan. 22-23 flights. The reschedule are eligible for travelers to/from/through Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Boston, Long Island Islip (ISP), Newark, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Providence (PVD), Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National (DCA).
JetBlue is waiving change and cancellation fees for passengers with scheduled travel on Jan. 22 and 23 to/from BWI, Richmond, and Washington in both Dulles and Reagan National airports. Aside from refund, customers can rebook the flights through Jan. 29.
The last time winter storm disrupt the flight in East Coast was in February last year, affecting New York to Chicago. As this year's winter storm is expected to disrupt flight schedule in most of East Coast cities, domestic carriers has prepared refund or flight changes to customers.
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