US airports face disruptions due to Hurricane Sandy

Dubai: Airports along the entire length of the US East Coast are bracing for the worst.

With Hurricane Sandy due to make landfall in the area between Delaware and the New York-New Jersey shoreline on Monday evening, airlines and airports are predicting widespread closures, flight disruptions and cancelled trips.

Already, Etihad Airways has cancelled its Abu Dhabi – New York and New York-Abu Dhabi flight for Monday, and the airline expects its Tuesday flights to operate normally – as longs the weather in New York cooperates. It is advising passengers heading to the US to check its website for latest news.

Other Gulf carriers have yet to issue a statement on expected delays, but travellers are advised to contact them — or their code-share partners — for the latest travel advisories.

“[Hurricane Sandy] will have a fairly big impact on travel,” George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, told American broadcaster NBC on Sunday.

“Airlines in the past have pre-emptively cancelled flights just to be safe rather than sorry and pay tarmac delay fines... even if [the storm] goes out to sea, the airlines are going to prepare for the worst case to avoid fines and anger,” Hobica said.

With Sandy expected to merge with a storm from Western Canada, the so-called resulting "Frankenstorm" will have lingering effects for days as authorities face power outages, large rain and snowfall — and miserable travelling conditions on roads, rail and in the air.

Airports from Atlanta to Toronto and Montreal are also likely to be affected.
Transport officials in the US say the worst affected airports will be LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy in New York, Newark in New Jersey,  White Plains-Westchester Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Baltimore International Airport and both Dulles Airport and Reagan National Airport in Washington.

Officials also expect the Delta hub in Atlanta to be sideswiped as well.

Less affected will be Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Detroit.