SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Several Singapore Airlines flights to and from New York have been cancelled due to a snowstorm in the US city.
They were among hundreds of flights cancelled at New York’s major airports as a winter storm descends on the city and neighbouring regions, according to Bloomberg.
At least 400 international and domestic flights have been cancelled and many delayed, according to FlightAware, an airline tracking service.
New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports, as well as nearby Newark, were among the hardest hit, Bloomberg reported.
The following SIA flights have been cancelled:
SQ23 departing New York (John F. Kennedy) for Singapore on Dec 26 at 10.05pm
SQ24 departing Singapore for New York (John F. Kennedy) on Dec 26 at 12.10pm
SQ25 departing New York (John F. Kennedy) for Frankfurt on Dec 26 at 8.15pm
SQ26 departing Frankfurt for New York (John F. Kennedy) on Dec 26 at 8.35am
SQ21 departing New York (Newark) for Singapore on Dec 27 at 5.45pm
SQ22 departing Singapore for New York (Newark) on Dec 27 at 5.30am
All times are local.
SIA said in an advisory on its website on Dec 25 that as the situation in New York remains fluid, its other flights may also be affected.
It said customers may visit the Flight Status page on its website for the latest information on their flights.
SIA said it would be contacting all affected customers to inform them about the flight cancellations.
For those affected, arrangements for alternative flights will be made. They can also seek a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket.
Heavy snow is expected to start falling in New York City and across Long Island from the afternoon of Dec 26 to Dec 27, with as much as 20cm piling up before the storm winds down.
New York City has issued a travel advisory for the duration of the storm as cold temperatures limit snowmelt, increasing the risk of slippery and hazardous road conditions, Bloomberg reported.
The city may see snow accumulations of between 10cm and 20cm as the storm moves through affected areas from Dec 26 at about 4pm local time (5am on Dec 27 Singapore time) to Dec 27 at 1pm, according to the US’ National Weather Service.
“The hazardous conditions could impact the Friday evening commute,” Bloomberg reported the weather service as saying in the notice issued on Dec 25.
The winter watch extends into Philadelphia, with the storm expected to move offshore into the mid-Atlantic by the morning of Dec 27, the service said. Wintry precipitation will give way to freezing rain as the storm moves south.
A potentially stronger cold front will move across the north-east, including the Washington area, towards the end of the weekend, which could lead to blustery conditions during the last few days of the year.
Parts of western Pennsylvania may be hit by an ice storm, which could cause power outages and make travel hazardous, Bloomberg reported the US’ National Weather Service as saying. -- The Straits Times/ANN
