Watch CBS News

Logan Airport Cancels 700 Flights Due To Storm

BOSTON (CBS) - More than 700 flights have been cancelled at Logan International Airport, as the snowstorm is hampering air and train travel schedules across New England.

MassPort Director Of Aviation Ed Freni urged travelers to call their airlines to learn the status of their flight, if they haven't been contacted already, and to stay home.

"Don't go out on the roads. Coming to Logan is not going to help," Freni told WBZ-TV.

March 14 Snowstorm
An information board full of cancelled flights at Logan Airport, March 14, 2017. (Photo credit RYAN MCBRIDE/AFP/Getty Images)

Logan Airport is "down well over 75 percent of operations today," he said.

Visibility is a concern, and clearing runways "is probably the least of our worries."

"It's when the winds start to get up to 45-50 mph, and there's (snow) drifting. It's very difficult to maintain surfaces," Freni said.

Freni said about 35 to 40 flights were launched from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday but "there will be very very limited activity this afternoon."

Keolis operations update 2
(Photo: Keolis Boston)

Meanwhile, over at the MBTA, the Commuter Rail is running on a reduced schedule, but the Green, Orange, Red and Blue lines are running on regular schedules.

MBTA GENERAL MANAGER DISCUSSES T OPERATIONS

MBTA General Manager Luis Ramirez said crews are working to clear snow from tracks "and also de-icing equipment has been set along the lines."

About $100 million has been invested in infrastructure to improve MBTA operations, particularly during extreme weather events, Ramirez said.

"We've done a lot of work. I'd say that the biggest piece of it has also been around kind of realigning resources and training resources," Ramirez said. "We have equipment. We've also invested in infrastructure improvements. We have added electrical backup generators in those areas where we were vulnerable to losing power on the civilian grid. So we've done a number of things."

Ramirez urged T riders to "give yourself plenty of time" if they plan to use public transit today.

For updates to service and delays, visit the MBTA website.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.