Blame Winter Storm Kenan for last weekend’s flight Cancellations

By Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

#TurksandCaicos, February 7, 2022 – The frigid temperatures sweeping North America touched were felt in the islands of the region in more ways than one.  Many islanders felt it in the frostier temperatures; others felt it in their pocket books as cancellations were in the thousands.

CNN reported that about 5000 flights were called off last weekend due to the winter storm, which was particularly brutal on the east coast, which happens to be a leading source market for the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos was not exempt.

Romell Forbes was one of the taxi drivers reporting cancellations.

“Cancellations, cancellations, cancellations, I’ve been on the phone all day. Cancellations – all day,” he emphasized.

FlightAware informed that Jet Blue had to cut 70 per cent of flights on Saturday January 29 and 15 per cent on Sunday January 30.  United dropped 22 per cent of its flights in one day and American Airlines cancelled 18 per cent of its flights on Saturday (Jan 29) alone.

Sadly, the weather woes compound losses due to Omicron (coronavirus variant), and though the virus appears to be slowing, Winter Storm Kenan in the United States was blamed for up to 30 inches of snow, record low temperatures, deaths, and massive power outages. It is also forced more cancellations beyond the final weekend in January.

“I had people coming in everyday this week and nothing but pure cancellations all the way up to the 6th of February,” Forbes informed.