Holiday travel: So far, so good at area airports, but expect that to change as storm moves in
NEWARK, N.J. -- Travel this holiday weekend might not be so merry.
A winter storm is forecast for big swaths of the country. Airlines are preparing for widespread cancellations and delays.
While many people might be wishing for a white Christmas, that sort of weather causes headaches at airports. And even if we get sparred from the winter weather forecasted across the country, we won't be as lucky when it comes to delays and cancellations.
At Newark Liberty International Airport, getting in and out has been fairly smooth sailing.
"I thought it was going to be crazy. I thought I was going to lose my kids like five times, but, you know, they are all here and accounted for," traveler Holly Bratz said.
READ MORE: First Alert Weather: Timeline of storm that might snarl your Christmas travel plans
So far, the delays and cancellations have been minimal, a far cry from what many expected.
"Maybe a flight or two cancelled or a slow-down delay, but we didn't run into any of that," one person said.
"Packed, because, you know, it's Christmas and the holidays, so it was pretty good to be honest," Edwin Mendita said.
"Usually it's pretty busy around the holidays, but they haven't been that bad right now," Isabelle Turpan added.
But in another day or two, that'll change. There's winter weather in the forecast and major airlines are already asking passengers to consider rescheduling.
United, American, and Delta are offering to waive the usual fees associated with changing a flight, but others are not extending that courtesy.
CBS travel expert Peter Greenberg says it's all about where airlines are based out of.
"If most of their fleet is in Florida, they may not cancel at all," Greenberg said.
He said airlines have scheduled fewer flights to manage them better, and have hired more staff.
"Plus, the calendar is working in everyone's favor, because Christmas and New Year's fall on a Sunday. It allows people to stagger their departure dates, as well as their return dates, way before there was ever a report of weather," Greenberg said.
For Lola McDoe, the forecast has made the holidays that much more stressful. She booked flights for family on an airline that is not offering the chance to reschedule.
"Especially when the fare is so expensive," McDoe said.
Ticket prices are about 14% higher this year compared to last.
If you are flying, travel experts say expect to see fewer options, packed planes, and cancellations to really ramp up on Friday.
And if you're driving on Friday, AAA expects traffic on New York's busiest roads to be double the usual amount as commuters mix with holiday travelers.
"You can anticipate a lot of company and if the weather's going to be bad, that makes it even worse," AAA Northeast's Robert Sinclair told CBS2.
