Airlines, Passengers Prepare for Weekend Nor'easter

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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A nor’easter is threatening to bring over a foot of snow to the mid-Atlantic seaboard this weekend, meaning airports from Washington, D.C., to Boston could see significant delays. Today in the Sky lists several airlines that have waived change fees, including United, US Airways, JetBlue, Air Canada, and Continental. Delta, AirTran, Southwest, and Midwest have also waived change fees for travel to or from the affected areas, and it seems likely others will as well.

With cities like D.C. and New York almost certain to get walloped, delays will likely ripple throughout the system as the storm slogs up the coast. One possible saving grace is the timing of the storm—overnight Saturday and into Sunday. If the worst of it passes during the wee hours, airports may be able to keep pace.

Of course, the other saving grace is that the storm isn’t coming two or three days later, when holiday travel really picks up. But for people traveling this weekend who want to change their plans, do so sooner rather than later. With Christmas just a few days away, empty seats may be hard to find.

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