US Midwest Flights Hit by Blizzard

US airlines had to cancel more than 3,000 flights over the course of Sunday due to a huge snowstorm that hit the Midwest. In just Chicago, Illinois alone, carriers had to cancel 1,200 at O’Hare International Airport and another 250 at Midway International Airport. With the figures being released in the morning, the Chicago Department of Aviation warned they anticipated more services to be canceled throughout the day.

The blizzard also hit airlines at airports in Minnesota, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, North and South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Minnesota got about 21.5 inches, and the pressure on the Teflon roof of the Metrodome collapsed before workers could get some of the snow off. There is video footage circling the net, showing the roof caving in and then ripping to allow the snow to fall on the football field. The NFL game between the Vikings and Giants had to be postponed until today and will be played in Detroit.

A lot of the major US carriers that were disrupted by the storm include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines. Delta had to cancel about 372 flights, as of yesterday morning, and spokesman Paul Skrbec said customers would be able to rebook their travel free of penalty fees.

The US isn’t the only country battling severe weather early this winter. The UK and northern Europe have been blasted with snow and well below freezing temperatures nearly nonstop over the last 2 weeks. The UK is finally getting a thawing period like they did last weekend, but this also won’t last. Forecasters are predicting more snow and freezing temperatures to hit the country later this week.