Over 2000 flights cancelled in US due to heavy snow and freezing temperatures

In United States, ahead of the Christmas holidays, more than 2000 flights have been cancelled due to heavy snow and freezing temperatures. Snow, rain, ice, wind and frigid temperatures are disrupting air travel plans across the United States and bus and Amtrak passenger train service.

According to the flight tracking site FlightAware, airlines cancelled nearly 2,270 flights by 6 pm Thursday and proactively cancelled almost 1,000 flights for Friday. Eighty-five flights have already been cancelled for Saturday.

Delays were even more extensive on Thursday with more than 7400 stranded by the evening.

The impacts are being felt hardest in Chicago and Denver, where around a quarter of arrivals and departures — hundreds of flights at each airport –were cancelled on Thursday.

Meanwhile, many airlines have issued weather waivers allowing travellers to change their itineraries without penalty during a short window.