Irene Flight Cancellations Near 7,000 as United Joins Delta

U.S. flight cancellations approached 7,000 as United Continental Holdings Inc. joined Delta Air Lines Inc. and JetBlue Airways Corp. in grounding planes ahead of Hurricane Irene’s East Coast landfall.

United purged 2,300 flights through Aug. 28, while Delta scratched 1,300 through Aug. 29 and JetBlue scrapped 1,262, spokesmen said. United has a hub at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty airport and Delta and JetBlue have bases at New York’s Kennedy, which will halt international arrivals at noon tomorrow.