Aer Lingus Dublin-Newark among 181 cancelled flights due to storms in north-Eastern USA

More than 1,350 flights were delayed and 181 cancelled across U.S. airports on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, primarily driven by severe weather lingering across the Northeast travel corridor exacerbated by ongoing air traffic control shortages.

A slow-moving low-pressure system and a major band of severe thunderstorms stalled over the region, triggering extensive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Ground Delay Programmes and multi-hour backups at major transit hubs.

Transatlantic flights and connections heading to Europe from JFK, Newark and Boston were impacted by the multi-hour domestic backlogs. The Aer Lingus flight from Newark EI100 and today’s flight EI101 were cacnelled.

Air travel throughout the Northeast USA took the heaviest hit, with major hubs experiencing critical cascading backlogs:

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS): Hit hardest by severe weather, absorbing the heaviest operational impact with Ground Delay Program arrival averages stretching past two hours. [1]
New York Metro Airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) experienced departure delays exceeding two hours, while LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) faced severe operational constraints from low ceilings, wind, and lightning. [1, 2]
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) faced lingering disruptions following overnight thunderstorm ground stops. Both Washington Dulles (IAD) and Reagan National (DCA) also reported terminal volume constraints due to the storms.

Because its core domestic network is heavily concentrated in New York and Boston, JetBlue faced the highest volume of cancellations. They active-issued an East Coast Weather Waiver allowing passengers travelling through August 4 to rebook free of charge.

American Airlines issued a Northeast Waiver for airports including BOS, JFK, LGA, and PHL, allowing complimentary rebooking for passengers affected by the severe weather system.

Due to rapidly shifting operational windows, travellers reported that major carrier mobile apps frequently displayed inaccurate delay data or quietly restored departure times without sending push alerts.

In addition to the Northeast weather delays impacting U.S.–Canada routes, regional travel was further strained by the aftermath of a brief WestJet flight attendant strike. While a tentative deal was reached, WestJet was still working through network recovery on August 4, adding an extra layer of disruption for cross-border travellers.