Airlines cancel thousands of flights as nor'easter slams East Coast

Winter Storm Riley has caused thousands of flight cancellations. (iStock)

Travelers scheduled to leave from or arrive along the east coast of the United States need to be on high alert as flight delays and cancellations are expected due to a major Nor'easter storm hitting Friday into Saturday.

According to The Weather Channel, the storm system is expected to bring damaging winds, heavy rain, snow and severe flooding from the Carolinas to Maine, with wind gusts ranging from 40-60 miles per hours in some areas.

Meteorologists expect the winds to last as long as 36 hours, with around 78 million people under wind alerts across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

Due to the potentially damaging storm, more than 1,500 flights were canceled at airports in the northeast, like Philadelphia International, Boston’s Logan International, Ronald Reagan Washington National and New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International.

As a result of the cancellations, airlines serving impacted airports are waiving change fees and fare differences, including American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United. Most eligible travelers will be able to make one change to their itineraries free of charge.

Flight cancellations aren’t just a problem in the U.S. Friday, as England, Ireland and the surrounding countries are still dealing with the effects of a Siberian weather pattern called the Beast from the East. The storm brought heavy snow and cancellations at multiple airports.

This story originally appeared in TravelPulse.