They know what each flight and each seat is worth . . . and pick and choose where they will send their airplanes. There were few delays, because airlines canceled so many flights. Philadelphia had fewer cancellations than Boston in part because it is US Airways' principal hub for flights to Europe. At this time of year, US Airways also works hard to avoid disrupting Florida flights. Because these flights are often full, it is difficult to handle many stranded passengers, Weintraub said.
Snowstorms disrupt airline schedules in many ways.
For example, when forecast improvements failed to materialize Sunday night, a dozen Philadelphia-bound airliners were ordered to fly in circles over Harrisburg. Poor visibility requires more space between aircraft, reducing the number of planes per hour a runway can handle. Any freezing on the ground, which occurred here yesterday, requires closing runways and taxiways for 30 minutes or longer for de-icing, said McClellan, Flying's editor and a veteran pilot.