More than 2,600 flights were canceled nationwide Friday and more are expected today because of Midwest storms and inspections that have taken many Boeing 737 planes offline
The Midwest is being hard hit by snow, with blizzard warnings issued on Friday for the Midwest and Great Lakes.
Days ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses, the National Weather Service in Des Moines is urging drivers to stay off the roads.
Chicago was the biggest pain point for travelers, with hubs Dallas and Denver close behind.
A Chicago ground stop was issued at 5:35 a.m. Friday because of “snow or ice”, an alert from the Federal Aviation Administration said.
According to officials, a ground delay program was put in place through Friday evening.
“The FAA’s priority is safety, meaning that, sometimes, delays are necessary. Weather is the leading cause of delays and cancellations, but the FAA’s Command Center and radar centers work closely with airlines to plan for, and around, expected weather nationwide,” the FAA said in a statement, noting that it was not responsible for canceling flights.