Caribbean Airlines (CAL) yesterday cancelled four flights to and from John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport in New York due to the fierce weather system meteorologists are calling a bomb cyclone.
Two flights destined from Piarco International Airport to JFK and back were cancelled, with another two enroute to and from Norman Manley International in Jamaica to JFK called off.
The cancellation of flights BW 524, BW 525, BW 014 and BW 015 by CAL led to approximately 616 passengers with confirmed and booked tickets to either change or cancel their reservations without penalty.
CAL also offered full refund on tickets issued for travel to and from New York between January 4 to 6.
On Wednesday, CAL posted on its Facebook page the cancellation of yesterday’s flights due to the approaching winter storm in New York.
The storm was expected to bring between six to ten inches of snow, strong winds and temperatures below freezing in the city of the Big Apple.
The fierce weather forced airlines worldwide to cancel and delay flights leaving and entering several airports in the USA in the last few days.
CAL’s corporate communications manager Dionne Ligoure said said the cancellations of flights at this time of the year are routine.
“This is affecting all airlines. In so far as the operations coming in and out of JFK we are monitoring it. We have things under control. This is a normal part of the course for us. However, we are minimising the inconvenience for customers,” Ligoure said.
She said in the airline business they would call the winter storm an act of God, as there was nothing they could do until the weather improves.
Having spent Christmas in the USA, Michelle Blood who travelled on Wednesday from Miami International to Piarco said she experienced no problems with her CAL flight even though the weather was terrible.
“It was exceptionally cold...the coldest I had felt in years. There was also strong breeze and rain. On the way to the airport I saw cars skidding off the roads. It was frightening,” said Blood, 58, who lives in Cascade.