Flights in Charlotte canceled days ahead of Cardinals-Panthers playoff
Jan 21, 2016, 2:03 PM | Updated: Jan 22, 2016, 10:42 am
(Facebook Photo)
(Facebook Photo)
PHOENIX — American Airlines said it expects to cancel all flights to and from Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, just days before the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers square off in the NFL playoffs.
While it may seem like a conspiracy to keep the Birdgang out of North Carolina, Ross Feinstein with the airline said the decision to cancel all 654 flights has a lot more to do with the weather than football.
Traveling to Charlotte or the Northeast? Winter #weather may impact your flight. Check your flight status with your airline. #Jonas
— PHX Sky Harbor (@PHXSkyHarbor) January 21, 2016
Winter Storm Jonas is expected to hit the East Coast hard over the next several days, and will likely leave about a half-inch of ice behind in Charlotte, making it dangerous for aircraft to land. Icy conditions already caused accidents that killed two drivers in North Carolina.
A blizzard watch was in place for most of the East Coast and as far west as Arkansas and Tennessee.
Tens of millions will be impacted. What you need to know about Winter Storm #Jonas: https://t.co/cVfdjTKE0o pic.twitter.com/EdZjbkoYuX
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) January 21, 2016
A state of emergency has been declared in North Carolina, along with Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
All major airlines have issued waivers for travel over the weekend, allowing passengers to rebook onto earlier or later flights to avoid the storms. American’s flights should resume on Sunday at the three Washington and Baltimore area airports and New York’s three airports, the company said.
Thankfully, Jonas is expected to move out of Charlotte on Saturday. The Cardinals are scheduled to land that day and the forecast is sunny with a high of 44 degrees for Sunday’s matchup.
Despite the sunny forecast, some Cardinals fans were already trying to sell their tickets online.
You can listen to the game on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM starting at 4:40 p.m. Sunday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
