MAPS - Irene will likely force hundreds of cancellations through this weekend and create delays

The storm will likely force hundreds of cancellations through this weekend and create delays that could ripple across the country.Airlines began to cancel flights and move planes out of the way as Hurricane Irene barreled toward the U.S. mainland on Thursday.Airlines said passengers could rebook those trips to many East Coast destinations, from Boston to the Carolinas, for free.American Airlines and its American Eagle affiliate, with an extensive network in the Caribbean, canceled 126 flights on Thursday. Most were in the Bahamas and south Florida, including Miami, a jumping-off spot for flights to the Caribbean and Latin America.Delta Air Lines reported four cancellations, and United one. Those and other airlines were watching Irene's path before deciding how many flights to scrub and where on Friday.