Blizzard Triggers SFO Delays, Cancellations Stack Up: Report

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Close to 70 flights were canceled and about 140 delayed Sunday at San Francisco International Airport as a powerful Northeast blizzard disrupted travel nationwide and left passengers scrambling to reroute trips or extend stays.

Airlines began canceling flights bound for major East Coast hubs as heavy snow, high winds, and whiteout conditions shut down airports across the region, rippling delays through the national air system and stranding travelers trying to reach cities including Boston and New York, according to ABC7 News.

“This means we could see branches and trees falling onto highways, drifts, and whiteout conditions. Incredibly dangerous. Do not travel tonight,” said Mikie Sherrill, governor-elect of New Jersey, according to ABC7 News.

At SFO, passengers described long rebooking lines and limited options.
Sarah Chan, who was trying to return home to Boston, told ABC7 News the earliest available flight was days away.

“They say the earliest flight I could get would be on Thursday. Today is Sunday,” Chan told ABC7 News. She said she planned to fly to Toronto and, if necessary, reach Boston by bus.

An SFO duty manager said the airport had recorded nearly 70 cancellations and about 140 delays by Sunday afternoon, with more possible as conditions persisted, ABC7 News reported.

Compounding traveler frustration was confusion over federal screening programs after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security briefly considered suspending the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs due to what officials described as a funding lapse, according to reports.

The agency later reversed course, saying PreCheck remained operational and that authorities would evaluate staffing case-by-case, ABC7 News reported.

According to ABC News, the reversal followed input from the White House and public backlash.