A powerful polar-vortex system swept across the Midwest and Northeast on Sunday, dumping up to a foot of snow in New York City’s outer boroughs and icing runways from Indiana to Maine. By 6 p.m. EST on December 14, flight-tracking service FlightAware tallied 2,867 delays and 380 cancellations nationwide. LaGuardia led the list with 208 combined disruptions, forcing Delta and Republic Airways to ground regional operations, while Newark, JFK and Philadelphia followed close behind.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued ground-stop and ground-delay programs for seven major hubs, triggering knock-on effects for connecting passengers. Corporate-travel managers scrambled to reroute meetings, with some companies moving Monday-morning pitches to virtual platforms. Airlines activated weather waivers, letting travellers rebook without fees, but premium-cabin inventory vanished within hours, leaving many road-warriors stuck until mid-week.
Surface transport also took a hit: New Jersey implemented 45-mph speed limits on the Turnpike, and Amtrak reduced Acela frequencies by 40 percent. In the freight sector, several LTL carriers paused pickups in Pennsylvania and Ohio, complicating just-in-time supply chains ahead of the holiday retail surge.
![Polar-Vortex Snowstorm Delays 2,800+ Flights and Shuts Key US Airports]()
Mobility departments should advise assignees to photograph stamped I-94s and keep extra visa copies handy; overnight diversions to secondary airports have stranded some foreign nationals at FBOs without CBP staffing, forcing next-day inspections. Travellers whose ESTA or I-94 validity lapses during an unplanned stay should use CBP’s Deferred Inspection hotlines before attempting to leave the airport.
For travellers who discover mid-storm that a visa renewal, replacement, or entirely new permit is suddenly needed, VisaHQ can fast-track the process online. Its U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers real-time requirement checks, courier pickups, and expedited embassy submissions—handy lifelines when snowbound airports leave itineraries in limbo.
Meteorologists expect the storm to exit the coast by early Monday, but sub-zero wind-chills could produce de-icing backlogs through Tuesday. Employers with critical travel should monitor airline ops-centres and consider charter alternatives for small groups.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued ground-stop and ground-delay programs for seven major hubs, triggering knock-on effects for connecting passengers. Corporate-travel managers scrambled to reroute meetings, with some companies moving Monday-morning pitches to virtual platforms. Airlines activated weather waivers, letting travellers rebook without fees, but premium-cabin inventory vanished within hours, leaving many road-warriors stuck until mid-week.
Surface transport also took a hit: New Jersey implemented 45-mph speed limits on the Turnpike, and Amtrak reduced Acela frequencies by 40 percent. In the freight sector, several LTL carriers paused pickups in Pennsylvania and Ohio, complicating just-in-time supply chains ahead of the holiday retail surge.
Mobility departments should advise assignees to photograph stamped I-94s and keep extra visa copies handy; overnight diversions to secondary airports have stranded some foreign nationals at FBOs without CBP staffing, forcing next-day inspections. Travellers whose ESTA or I-94 validity lapses during an unplanned stay should use CBP’s Deferred Inspection hotlines before attempting to leave the airport.
For travellers who discover mid-storm that a visa renewal, replacement, or entirely new permit is suddenly needed, VisaHQ can fast-track the process online. Its U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers real-time requirement checks, courier pickups, and expedited embassy submissions—handy lifelines when snowbound airports leave itineraries in limbo.
Meteorologists expect the storm to exit the coast by early Monday, but sub-zero wind-chills could produce de-icing backlogs through Tuesday. Employers with critical travel should monitor airline ops-centres and consider charter alternatives for small groups.
