Northeast blizzard causes nearly 100 flight cancellations at LAX

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- More than 80 flights out of Los Angeles International Airport were canceled Monday in preparation of a history-making storm expected to drop 1 to 3 feet of snow on the East Coast.

Nationwide, nearly 6,700 flights through Tuesday had been canceled, with most flights from a band running from Washington through New York to Boston.

Passengers who caught flights out of Boston and other cities before the blizzard started pounding the Northeast with heavy snow and ferocious winds were relieved to arrive at LAX Monday night.

"We were looking at the snow reports. I'd been on the South Shore and I was in meetings, and the snow was starting to fall. Yeah, I was freaking out," said Jennie Nigrosh of Hollywood.

Some passengers had to scramble to rearrange travel plans after receiving word that airlines had canceled their flights.

Other passengers weren't so lucky. Tanya Cabral was supposed to leave from LAX at 3 p.m. to Boston. Her flight was rescheduled for Wednesday.

"I've got work. I've got less money in my account. We checked out of our hotel and I'm a little worried. But what can we do? We can't go anywhere now," Cabral said.

American Airlines and US Airways announced it was suspending operations at five East Coast airports. The airline planned to run a "very limited" schedule in the Northeast on Tuesday, spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said.

United Airlines says it won't fly Tuesday in New York, Boston or Philadelphia. JetBlue canceled flights to the East Coast through Wednesday morning.

Most major U.S. carriers said they would allow passengers affected by the cancellations to change their reservations without getting charged a fee, typically $200.

The National Weather Service predicted that 2 to 3 feet of snow would fall in a 250-mile stretch of the Northeast, including the New York and Boston areas. Philadelphia was bracing for 14 to 18 inches.

Travelers were urged to consult their airlines for specific flight information. For more information, visit flight-tracking service FlightStats.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.