New York, United States: A powerful Nor’easter blizzard that swept across the U.S. Northeast over the weekend has left thousands of travelers stranded and major airports nearly paralyzed. As of Monday morning, more than 6,400 flights have been cancelled across the region, with major hubs including JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and Boston Logan International Airport reporting near-total shutdowns.
The storm, driven by heavy snowfall, high winds, and white-out conditions, prompted emergency declarations, citywide travel bans, and school closures from New York City through New England and New Jersey. Meteorologists reported snow accumulations of up to 2 feet (60 cm) and wind gusts reaching 70 mph, creating hazardous conditions for road and air travel.
According to flight-tracking data:
- Boston Logan International Airport saw 389 flight cancellations and 125 delays, affecting carriers including JetBlue (122 cancellations), Republic Airways (113), Delta (38), American (34), Southwest (21), and United (18).
- LaGuardia Airport cancelled approximately 98% of scheduled flights, while JFK reported 87% of departures and 85% of arrivals cancelled, and Newark Liberty International Airport experienced 83% of departures grounded.
- Air India cancelled all flights between New York and Newark for Monday and extended cancellations through Tuesday, Feb. 24. Other major carriers such as Delta, American, JetBlue, United, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and Spirit also suspended numerous flights to safeguard passengers and crews.
Airline and airport authorities urged travelers to check the latest flight updates and refrain from non-essential travel. Rebooking and refund requests are being processed by customer service teams as operations slowly resume.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and imposed a citywide travel ban restricting non-essential travel. Blizzard warnings extended across New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and coastal New England, affecting more than 35 million residents. Regional transit systems, including NJ Transit and Boston-area rail networks, suspended services during peak storm hours.
Authorities activated the National Guard in several states to assist with snow clearance and emergency response. Local officials warned of continued dangerous driving conditions, power outages, and potential coastal flooding as the storm moves eastward.
![Washington, United States: A United Airlines flight bound for Guatemala City made an emergency diversion to Washington Dulles International Airport after a passenger allegedly attempted to open a cabin door at cruising altitude and assaulted another traveler, according to air traffic control communications and federal authorities. The incident involved United Airlines Flight 1551, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which departed from Newark Liberty International Airport on Thursday evening carrying 145 passengers and six crew members. The aircraft had been en route to Guatemala City when the crew declared an emergency and diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. According to audio between the flight crew and air traffic controllers, the pilot informed controllers that the disruptive passenger attempted to open Door 2L while the aircraft was cruising at approximately 36,000 feet. The pilot also reported that the passenger later assaulted another individual onboard. During the exchange, the tower asked the crew which door the passenger had attempted to access. The pilot responded: “Door 2L at 36,000 feet and then [the passenger] assaulted a fellow passenger.” When controllers asked whether there were any injuries onboard, the pilot replied: “Not to our knowledge.” The aircraft landed safely at Washington Dulles at approximately 8:38 p.m. local time. Law enforcement and emergency personnel met the aircraft upon arrival. The FBI later confirmed that agents responded to the incident at the airport, although the agency did not immediately release additional details regarding the passenger’s identity, possible charges, or whether the individual was taken into federal custody. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft remained airborne for a period before diverting toward the Washington region instead of continuing south toward Guatemala. The diversion temporarily disrupted the scheduled international service but no injuries among passengers or crew were officially reported. United Airlines had not issued a detailed public statement at the time of publication regarding the circumstances surrounding the diversion or the status of the passenger involved. Federal authorities are expected to review crew reports, passenger statements, and onboard evidence as part of the investigation.](https://aviationtoday.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AVIATION-TODAY-UNITEDV-AIRLINES-RUDE-PASSENGER-768x432.jpg)
