More Flights Canceled As Winter Weather Hits Texas to Tennessee

Texas travelers this week are dealing with a major impact to their travel plans.

A day after more than 1,000 flights were canceled because of harsh weather from Winter Storm Mara, even more cancellations and delays are expected in North and Central Texas because of continued freezing rain, sleet, and ice that is anticipated to continue through at least 6 a.m. CST Thursday, Feb. 2, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The NWS, which issued a Winter Storm Warning for most of Texas through Thursday morning, is anticipating “Mixed precipitation, primarily in the form of freezing rain and/or sleet” for that area, with accumulations between one-quarter and one-half of an inch possible.

The NWS is warning travelers, both those flying and driving, that their plans could be affected this week.

“Significant impacts to travel will continue through at least Wednesday night. Already hazardous road conditions will continue and likely deteriorate as much of North and Central Texas will remain near or below freezing through Wednesday night,” it said in its warning on Tuesday.

Flight Impact
According to flight tracking software FlightAware, of the 1,700 or so cancellations on Tuesday, most of them are coming at Dallas-Fort Worth (34% of its outbound schedule), Austin Bergstrom International (26% of its outbound schedule), Dallas Love Field (25%), and Nashville International (14%).

And, of the carriers serving that area Tuesday, Southwest has the most cancellations (319), followed by American Airlines (313).

All those numbers are expected to increase over the coming days.

Southwest has already issued a rebooking waiver for travel through the impacted airports, including those previously mentioned along with: Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Midland International Air & Space Port, Memphis International, Will Rogers World Airport, San Antonio International Airport, Louisville International Airport, and Tulsa International.

Southwest’s waiver is for travel through Feb. 1 and allows for travel to be rebooked in the original class of service and travel must take place within 14 days of their original travel date between the original city pairs.

American has also issued a waiver for Dallas-Fort Worth for those scheduled to travel through Feb. 2. Tickets can be rebooked through Feb. 8 in the original cabin without a fee.

Other carriers have also issued waivers.

Delta Air Lines has issued its own waiver for travel through those Texas airports along with Charleston, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Fayetteville, Lexington, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, and Tulsa. Delta’s waiver is for tickets for travel through Wednesday and allows for rebooking through Feb. 4.

United Airlines also has issued a waiver for travel through the same airports as Delta along with Bentonville, Hobbs, Lubbock, Midland, Oklahoma City, Paducah, Shreveport, and Springfield.