UPDATE: A powerful snowstorm is wreaking havoc for holiday travelers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), leaving hundreds stranded as flights are canceled and delays mount. As of late Friday night, the storm has resulted in 158 canceled flights and 204 delays at JFK, marking the highest disruption of any U.S. airport that day, according to FlightAware.
Passengers are experiencing an overnight ordeal inside the terminal, surrounded by luggage and distressed families. With snow accumulating rapidly, state officials have declared a state of emergency across more than half of New York. Forecasts predict that some areas could see up to 12 inches of snow by Saturday afternoon.
“It’s like a ghost town here,” said Chaithanya Sing, who was left without options after her Air France flight to India was canceled. “There’s no one to talk to. My baby is with me, and we have no information.”
Travelers like Mara Pimenta, who arrived from São Paulo with her husband and two young children for Christmas, are facing similar frustrations. “We don’t know when we can go back to Brazil,” Pimenta lamented. “The check-in counters are empty, and we have nowhere to go.”
The chaos at JFK is echoed at nearby airports, with Newark Liberty International Airport reporting 107 cancellations and LaGuardia Airport seeing 90 flights scrapped. As the storm intensifies, forecasters warn of snow falling at rates exceeding two inches per hour.
By late Friday evening, weary travelers were left waiting for answers that never seemed to come. “I wanted to have a ‘Home Alone’ Christmas just by myself,” shared Danniel Sermone, whose flight back to Denver was canceled. “I’ve been at JFK for about eight hours and still have 30 more to wait.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged residents to stay safe during the storm. “Avoid driving if possible and give yourself extra travel time if you must use public transit,” he advised. A winter storm warning remains in effect through early Saturday afternoon, and the situation is evolving rapidly.
As passengers remain in limbo, many are questioning the customer service of airlines during such emergencies. “How can you have an airline with no customer care?” Sing asked, reflecting the frustration shared by many stuck in the terminal.
With conditions expected to worsen overnight, travelers are advised to stay alert and seek real-time updates through Notify NYC.
Stay tuned for more updates as this situation develops.
