This Is Who Decides Whether Your Flight Takes Off This Week

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Updated: | Originally published: ;

With a potentially historic winter storm barreling down on the northeastern United States Monday evening into Tuesday, there’s a few people who will have the tougher-than-usual job of figuring out which unlucky flights must be cancelled.

Meet the men and women operating the Cancellator, a computer system that decides whether or not you’ll be scrambling to rebook your January travel plans. The Cancellator and systems like it use an algorithm with some human input to decide which flights to delay or cancel in order to preserve as much of an airline’s original schedule as possible. The program’s ultimate goal is to nix flights well ahead of time, that way airlines can notify passengers of the changes before they head out for the airport — giving customers time to make alternate plans.

Want to know more about the software and employees deciding to cancel your flight? Read TIME’s March 3, 2014 cover story on airline cancellations here.

East Coast Readies Itself for Up to 3 Feet of Snow

Snow Blizzard New York City
A couple kisses during a blizzard in Times Square in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015.Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
A man crosses the street in New York City during a snow storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
People walk in front of the Manhattan Bridge in the DUMBO neighborhood as it snows in Brooklyn, NY on Jan. 26, 2015Photograph by Andrew Hinderaker
People walk in front of the Manhattan Bridge in the DUMBO neighborhood as it snows in Brooklyn, NY on Jan. 26, 2015Andrew Hinderaker
Times Square Snow Storm New York City
A man walks through the middle of a snow storm in Times Square, New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
A man waits to cross the street in Brooklyn, NY on Jan. 26, 2015Photograph by Andrew Hinderaker
A man waits to cross the street in Brooklyn, NY on Jan. 26, 2015.Andrew Hinderaker
Winter Weather Pennsylvania
A pedestrian passes through Johnstown Central Park, in Johnstown, Pa., Monday, Jan. 26, 2015.Todd Berkey—The Tribune-Democrat/AP
APTOPIX Winter Weather
Fishing boats ride out the storm at dock in Scituate, Mass., on Jan. 27, 2015. Michael Dwyer—AP
A worker pushes a snow blower down Lexington Avenue near Grand Central Terminal as it snows in the Manhattan borough of New York
A worker pushes a snow blower down Lexington Avenue in Manhattan on Jan. 26, 2015.Carlo Allegri—Reuters
A man stands in falling snow on West 42nd street in Times Square in New York
A man stands in falling snow on West 42nd street in Times Square in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Mike Segar—Reuters
Snow Blizzard New York City
Two people huddle for warmth on the street in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015.Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
APTOPIX Winter Weather
A man strolls on a walking path at Liberty State Park, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance, in Jersey City, N.J. on Jan. 26, 2015.Julio Cortez—AP
US-WEATHER-STORM
A tugboat sails on the East River during a snow storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images
Winter Storm in New York
People walk over the Brooklyn Bridge during a large winter storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015.Andrew Kelly—EPA
A man crosses the street during a snow storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
Snow Storm Winter Weather Juno
A woman walks though Central Park as it snows in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Carlo Allegri—Reuters
Children play in Central Park as it snows in the Manhattan borough of New York
Children play in Central Park as it snows in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Carlo Allegri—Reuters
Snow Storm Winter Weather Juno
Loaves of bread sit on a sparse shelf at a grocery store in Port Washington, New York on Jan. 26, 2015. Shannon Stapleton—Reuters
Snow Storm Winter Weather Juno
A crewmember de-ices a Frontier Airlines plane at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Jan. 26, 2015. Seth Wenig—AP
Snow Storm Winter Weather Juno
Crews load road salt into trucks ahead of a major winter storm in Chelsea, Mass. on Jan. 26, 2015.Brian Snyder—Reuters
Snow Blizzard New York City
Snow falls in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015.Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME

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