Airlines waive change fees ahead of nor'easter as flight delays trickle in

AirlinesPublished Fri, Sep 25 20268:52 AM EDTUpdated 40 Min AgoKey PointsU.S. airlines are assessing the path of a nor'easter that's projected to hit the Northeast U.S. this weekend.United Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue Airways said they would waive change fees for customers flying this weekend to a host of airports.A Delta Airlines plane lands at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Friday, Dec. 24, 2021.Eric Lee | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesU.S. airlines waived change fees for flights Friday through Sunday ahead of a nor'easter that federal forecasters warn will bring high winds and rainfall with the potential for dangerous flooding.As of Friday afternoon, close to 600 flights to and from LaGuardia Airport in New York were delayed, more than half the schedule, according to FlightAware. Dozens of others were delayed at major New England and New York-area airports.Carriers will often cancel a chunk, if not most of their schedules, during severe winter storms or hurricanes to ensure planes, passengers and crews aren't out of place, but airlines are still assessing the nor'easter's potential path and impact.American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways said customers can change their flights for a host of airports in the New York City area, Boston and smaller New England airports, without paying a change fee or difference in fare if they can fly anytime before the middle of next week.The potential weekend disruptions come after an equipment outage on Monday forced carriers to cancel hundreds of flights bound for the New York area and Philadelphia.Read more CNBC airline newsCompanies spurn airlines’ cheapest business class ticketsAmerican Airlines will stop upgrading elite flyers to business from coach on long domestic flightsWhy flights are so expensive and will likely stay that waySouthwest Airlines put Texas jet fuel on a boat to LA for the first time amid supply worriesUnited Airlines’ new upsell: Keeping other travelers out of the middle seatRecord heat, crowds drive offseason boom in international travel