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'A rough travel day'; Why airlines cancel flights during severe winter weather

WHAS11 Stormteam meteorologist Reed Yadon said if you're planning on flying out on Friday, you may want to start thinking of alternative options.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As times goes by, travelers are seeing more delays and cancellations at Muhammad Ali International Airport due to inclement winter weather.

WHAS11 Stormteam meteorologist, and pilot, Reed Yadon said this is just the beginning of travel headaches, especially if you're flying east on Friday.

"Tomorrow is going to be a rough travel day. Really feel bad about it and it will carry on into Christmas Eve with the way it's looking," he said.

Reed said airlines are not going risk landing in unsafe conditions. It takes time for airports to change logistics and clean runways. 

"They don't want to get an aircraft at an airport and get it stranded there," he said. "Or put people on an aircraft and then determine that they can't depart. So it's better to cancel then to get into a situation that really turns bad."

Reed also says your flight will have a better chance of getting out of Louisville by Friday night, but that doesn't mean its safe to land in another state. He recommends pushing your flight to Christmas Day or the Monday after.

However, if you do decide to leave Friday, Reed says, to "start considering some alternatives now." 

"Either a later day, or can you drive? Is that possible? Rental cars are going to be hard to get if they aren't already," he said. "So look at your alternatives now and don't wait until flight time to find out your flight is going to be cancelled."

Luckily, many airlines are offering reschedules free of charge.

If your flight gets canceled, delayed or you miss your connection, American Airlines and Delta will rebook you for the next available flight. You can also get a travel credit or request a refund from both. 

Southwest customers can rebook within 14 days of their original travel date. If you're flying United, you can get a travel waiver. 

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