Airlines cancel flights and Houston airports prepare to close ahead of Gulf Coast storm

Cold weather advisory in effect for North Texas through Tuesday morning

Major airlines are delaying and canceling fights in preparation for a wintery blast that could bring snow and ice to the Gulf Coast, disrupting travel from Texas to North Carolina. 

With heavy snow and ice forecast for eight states from late Monday into Wednesday, winter storm warnings, watches and advisories are in play across a 1,500-mile stretch. 

Travel advisories are already in play due to frigid weather in the northeast, and as a winter storm approached the Gulf Coast. 

American Airlines waived fees and posted travel alerts for 38 cities along the Gulf Coast, while Breeze Airways had a travel waiver in place on Monday for Portland, Maine, and New Hampshire’s Manchester airport. 

Breeze also has travel waivers in place for Tuesday in four cities: Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; and Pensacola, Florida. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday declared a state of emergency ahead the storm.

Delta Air Lines has a Gulf Coast winter weather advisory through Wednesday, saying 17 airports in eight states could be impacted, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. 

JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling Monday and Tuesday to and from eight cities in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas.  

United posted a Gulf Coast weather alert through Wednesday for airports in nearly 30 cities.

Southwest also said scheduled flights could be delayed, diverted or canceled through Wednesday along the Gulf Coast. 

As of 4:15 p.m. EST Monday, more than 1,600 flights scheduled for Tuesday had already been canceled, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking service. 

Three Houston airports — George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport — have announced plans to close down operations at midnight Tuesday.