A severe winter storm has caused major disruptions to air travel across parts of the Midwest and South in the United States. According to data from a flight tracking website, over 2,400 flights have been delayed and more than 2,000 flights cancelled as of Friday.The storm brought blizzard conditions to some areas and severe thunderstorms to others, impacting millions of travellers during the busy holiday season.Chicago airports face major delays and cancellationsThe Chicago area has been hit particularly hard by the winter weather. OHare International Airport in Chicago has seen nearly 40% of the 36 per cent inbound flights cancelled. Meanwhile, Chicago Midway International Airport cancelled about 60% of both outbound and inbound flights.Other major airports facing significant cancellations include Denver International and Milwaukee Mitchell International. Southwest Airlines, which does not operate the grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, cancelled nearly 400 flights on Friday - more than any other airline.Groundings add further StressRecent federally-mandated groundings of Boeing 737 Max 9 jets have compounded the issues caused by the storm. Over 200 flights per day operated by United and Alaska Airlines utilising these planes have been removed from schedules this week as aviation authorities and Boeing work to define an approved inspection protocol.We apologise to customers impacted by Max-related cancellations and are working to swap aircraft and rebook passengers as quickly as possible, said Alaska Airlines spokesperson Bobbie Egan. We know this is frustrating and continue discussions aimed at safely returning the Max fleet to the skies.Most cancellations are attributed to the storm itself rather than the groundings. However, the loss of capacity has strained airlines ability to re-accommodate stranded passengers. Power outages plague Great Lakes, SouthThe vast winter storm has also cut power to nearly 250,000 homes and businesses in the Great Lakes and South as of Friday morning. Most electrical failures are occurring in Illinois, where winds over 55 mph were recorded at Chicago OHare Airport and over 97,000 residents lack electricity.Areas like Arkansas have observed severe thunderstorms with 74 mph wind gusts, while blizzard conditions pervade the Midwest. Utility poles and power lines have been toppled across several counties, making assessment and repairs very difficult, said Simon Willakers of Entergy Arkansas. Customers should prepare for extended outages over the coming days.Maine landmark severely damagedThe intense winds accompanying the storm, which is battering the eastern United States, have seriously harmed an iconic Maine structure. On Wednesday, 79 mph gusts largely destroyed a 19th-century bell house that is part of the famed Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park.Only one wall of the bell house built in 1897 is still standing, said Bristol Parks official Shelley Gallagher. Were very concerned that efforts to shore up the remnants wont be enough.Bristol Parks official Shelley Gallagher said only one wall of the bell house built in 1897 is still standing and they are very concerned that efforts to shore up the remnants wont be enough.The building historically housed a 1,000-pound bell rung to alert vessels when fog obscured the visibility of the lighthouse beacon. Ironically, the bell itself was unscathed in the collapse after being relocated last August when its suspension beam began rotting.The wall the bell was hanging on isnt there anymore, and a part of history would have been lost, remarked Gallagher. Maine authorities are scrambling to secure the remaining portions of the structure with another powerful storm on the horizon.
