YVR Airport warns of delays, cancellations around New York blizzard

In case you haven't heard, a paralyzing blizzard of historic proportions is about to hit the Northeastern United States. If you're travelling anywhere near it, you're likely going to need to make alternative plans.

That's probably not news to Vancouverites travelling to or from New York, where mayor Bill de Blasio has warned everyone to brace for “one of the largest blizzards in the history of New York City”. (It's so bad even food delivery services are being shut down.)

But even if your flight is headed elsewhere, or if you're picking up a relative from California at YVR Airport, it's wise to double-check for changes before you leave home.

Several years ago, during a storm in eastern Canada and the U.S., I arrived at YVR ready to board my nonstop flight to Honolulu, which, as far as I knew, originated in Vancouver. It was delayed and eventually cancelled because the storm in the East threw off interdependent aircraft schedules, and the plane that was supposed to be in Vancouver to take me to Hawaii never made it here.

YVR Airport is advising passengers to check for flight delays and cancellations over the next few days. Check with your airline well in advance, and monitor real-time flight info at YVR here.

And while you can't control the weather, here are some other things you can do to help ensure a smooth journey.