Winter storms dampen US air travel

Winter storms dampened the recent increase in passenger numbers, after more than 8,100 flights were canceled across the US in just the past three days.

Traveler throughput has averaged 756,000 per day over 16-17 February, according to the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), following a five-day streak from 11-15 February that saw an average of just over 1mn passengers per day transiting through security at US airports.

Texas airports head the list of cancelled flights today. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston together totaled 1,167 cancelled departing or arriving flights. Yesterday the two airports accounted for just over 1,580 cancelled flights.

The airlines most heavily affected today are Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, with 395 cancelled flights each. Southwest and American topped the list yesterday as well, with 890 cancelled flights between them.

For tomorrow more than 700 flights within, into, or out of the US have already been cancelled. Warnings for subfreezing weather from Texas throughout the southeastern US and up into New England remain in effect for the coming days.

Air travel continues to lag as the Covid-19 pandemic draws close to entering its second year. Since the end of Christmas and New Year holiday travel season, passenger throughput in the US has averaged just under 37pc of the number of travelers counted for the same days in 2020.

Th US Gulf coast, where a little over half of all jet fuel in the US is produced, saw prices increase by 0.4¢/USG this week, as refinery closures in the region because of low temperatures created fuel supply concerns.

By Wendy Dulaney