Flight cancellations wreak havoc on US airports

Thousands of travellers are stranded at airports across the US as flight cancellations and delays continue to wreak havoc amid a deadly winter storm.

By mid-morning eastern time on Tuesday, more than 4,700 flights had been cancelled and over 3,100 delayed.

Over 60% of the cancellations were from hard-hit Southwest Airlines, which called off over 2,500 flights.

The chaos has left thousands of exasperated passengers sleeping in terminals as they search for solutions.

More than 3,500 flights scheduled to leave Wednesday have already been cancelled, with Southwest constituting just over 60% of those cancellations, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.

In a tweet on Monday, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said that it is "concerned by Southwest's unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays [and] reports of lack of prompt customer service."

In a separate tweet on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said that his administration is "working to ensure airlines are held accountable" for disruptions. He urged that passengers check to see whether they are entitled to compensation.

Southwest, for its part, has repeatedly apologised and said the disruptions caused by the winter weather are "unacceptable".

"Our heartfelt apologies for this are just beginning," the airline said in a statement. "We're working with safety at the forefront to urgently address wide-scale disruption by rebalancing the airline and repositioning crews and our fleet ultimately to best serve all who plan to travel with us."

With flight cancellations and delays continuing, thousands of passengers have been left at airports across the country as they attempt to re-book flights or make alternative travel arrangements. Passengers in locations including Denver, Chicago and Washington DC reported hours-long queues to speak to customer service representatives.

One Southwest passenger, Talia Jones, told BBC US partner CBS that she was "beyond frustrated and hurt" after travel disruptions meant she was unable to see her father for the holidays.

"It's very disappointing," Ms Jones said.

At Chicago's Midway Airport - where Southwest is the primary airline - hundreds of bags were waiting to be claimed. Social media images from angry passengers showed masses of bags lined up or in piles near baggage carousels.

"It's been hell," Denzil Smothers, whose flight was cancelled, told CBS.

According to the DOT's website, most airlines will rebook passengers on the next flight to a passenger's destination, provided that space is available. Passengers who wish to cancel their trip entirely are entitled to a full refund, even in cases in which they purchased non-refundable tickets.

A number of major North American airlines - including Southwest, American and Delta - have waived change fees for passengers who rebook during the storm.

Since 22 December, nearly 20,000 flights have been cancelled across the US, according to FlightAware.

More than 60 people have so far been reported dead as a result of the winter storm, including at least 28 in Buffalo, New York.