Passengers check in for their flights at the US Airways ticket counter at Pittsburgh International Airport in Imperial, Pa, Wednesday,. Travel in the Northeast creaked back into motion on Wednesday, a grinding, patchy recovery that made it clear that stranded travelers will struggle to get around for days to come. AP PHOTO
Travel in the US Northeast creaked back into motion on Wednesday, but it was clear that stranded travelers will struggle to get around for days to come.
Two of the three major airports in the New York area re-opened with limited flights. Most Northeast rail service — the country’s busiest corridor — was suspended. In New York City, some buses were running, and subway service was expected to restart Thursday in limited fashion.
FlightStats said the storm caused more than 19,000 cancellations, including 2,820 Wednesday. The loss of East Coast flights stranded tourists in New York and kept travelers stuck in Hong Kong. The lack of trains left suburban commuters without a way into work.
On Wednesday, the first trickle of air travelers reached New York since the storm hit. John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey both opened, but flights were limited.
New York’s third major airport, LaGuardia remained closed as officials assessed flood damage.
Several airlines had hoped to resume flying there on Thursday
Delta Air Lines Inc. said it operated about half of its planned flights at JFK. United, the biggest airline at Newark, said it was flying several dozen domestic and international flights at that airport on Wednesday.
Other airlines, including American and Southwest, said they won’t resume New York flights until Thursday.
Major rail service in the region remained largely suspended. While some commuter lines were expected back Wednesday afternoon, Amtrak’s Northeast Regional service between Newark, New Jersey, and Boston remained closed, as did the Acela Express through the Northeast corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. No date was set for resuming service.
Trains to and from New York’s Penn Station were still not operating because tunnels under the Hudson and East rivers were flooded.
Airports in Washington and Philadelphia re-opened on Tuesday.