Snowstorm Causes More Problems For Already Struggling Airline Industry
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Depending on what you had to do Friday, the snow was either friend or foe.
Airports faced cancellations, and school children hoping for a day off did not get one.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reports, in East Elmhurst, Queens, there was a chore that few people embrace: Brushing away snow.
Some New York City public school kids were packing it into snowballs.
"I hope it's a snow day," one child said.
He did not get his wish. Mayor Eric Adams decided against closing city schools after speaking with the sanitation commissioner and schools chancellor.
It was a bumpy, slippery start to Friday for those traveling by roads, rail and air.
At LaGuardia Airport, there were cancellations by the dozens. A mix of snow and COVID sick-outs meant flight schedules were not set in stone. Nitosha Parham of Fresh Meadows and other passengers constantly checked the flight boards and their phones.
"I'm going to Crawfordville, Georgia to see some family," Parham said. "I was a little annoyed my initial flight was supposed to be at six something in the morning... it was rescheduled three different times."
Louis Balat and his family are visiting from Singapore. They needed negative COVID tests, clear airport runways with flight crews and planes in their proper places.
"We just hope that we get our flight everything set up the flight to Singapore tomorrow," Balat said.
With snow melting fast, they're counting on a smooth Saturday, with this storm in everybody's rear view.
At Newark Liberty International Airport, there were 240 cancellations.
At John F. Kennedy International Airport, there were 227.
And at LaGuardia Airport, there 339 cancellations.
More than 2,400 flights were canceled as of noon Friday.
