Winter Storm Fern began disrupting flights nationwide on Jan. 23, as snowstorms and dangerously cold temperatures engulfed the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and South.
As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport experienced 153 delayed flights and 22 canceled flights, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
Most of the cancellations were flights to and from Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, where a winter storm warning was in effect through Jan. 25, with high chances of snow, sleet and freezing rain through the weekend.
At least 10 flights between Phoenix and Denver experienced delays. Parts of Colorado are under winter weather and cold weather advisories by the National Weather Service, with high chances of snow and temperatures as low as 6 degrees possible in Denver.
More than 1,000 flights were canceled worldwide Jan. 23, with airports in Toronto, Chicago, Dallas and Denver among the most affected, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
Despite the disruptions related to weather across the country, Sky Harbor’s on-time performance did well compared to other airports. An analysis from flight data company Cirium found less than 3% of Sky Harbor’s 578 scheduled flights on Jan. 23 were canceled.
People who plan to fly over the weekend are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before arriving at the airport, plus understand their options if their flight is delayed or canceled.
Major airlines are offering flexible travel policies for travelers affected by the winter storm. At least one airline has added flights on select routes to help people get to their destinations before or after the storm’s impacts are felt.
American Airlines added about 3,200 extra seats to and from its home base of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport for flights on Friday, Jan. 23 and Sunday, Jan. 25. These included flights to Phoenix and Tucson.
The added Dallas-Tucson flight arrived around 12:30 p.m. Arizona time Friday, while the Dallas-Phoenix flight leaves 9:15 p.m. Central time and arrives 10:58 p.m. Arizona time, according to American’s staff. Extra Sunday flights heading to Dallas are scheduled for 7 a.m. from Tucson and 8 a.m. from Phoenix.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@usatodayco.com.
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