Winter storm grounds thousands of flights as TSA pay crisis adds travel chaos

A powerful late-winter storm swept the eastern US, dropping heavy snow and driving strong winds that led to thousands of flight cancellations and delays (about 4,763 cancellations and 9,112 delays, per FlightAware). FAA ground stops hit major hubs and security staffing issues tied to a partial government shutdown compounded the disruption, as TSA workers await back pay. Airports from New York to Atlanta saw longer security lines and travelers were urged to arrive earlier than usual, with warnings of severe weather and potential tornadoes affecting up to 200 million people across the region.