A freezing winter storm moving across the country is creating a travel nightmare at Los Angeles International Airport on one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season.
There were 85 flight cancellations and 149 flight delays at LAX as of 8:45 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23. More than 3,200 flights have been canceled nationwide, and the most affected cities are New York, Chicago and Denver. A winter storm is moving through the central United States toward the East Coast Friday, and will affect about 135 million people over the weekend, according to reports from the National Weather Service.
“This is not like a snow day when you were a kid,” President Joe Biden said during a news conference in the Oval Office. “This is serious stuff.”
The winter storm is creating problems for travelers at LAX and other airports in Southern California.
“I couldn’t get a flight anywhere so I had to get my brother to drive me down to Seattle — had to book a flight out of Seattle to go to Denver, to fly here. My Seattle flight was delayed, my Denver flight was delayed and now they lost my luggage — but I’m home,” Christine Lerosen told ABC 7.
There were three flights canceled and 10 flights delayed at Long Beach Airport, 12 flights canceled and six flights delayed at Hollywood Burbank Airport, 33 flights canceled and 22 flights delayed at John Wayne Airport in Orange County and 12 flights canceled and 13 flights delayed at Ontario International Airport as of 7 a.m.
Those traveling by car might face problems as well. The worst time to be on the road will be between 4 and 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, according to AAA. The best time to drive will be before 2 p.m. and after 8 p.m. Friday. Southern California is expected to have the warmest temperatures in the country, with highs over 80 in some areas on Christmas Day.
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