No, you do not have my understanding.
There is really no excuse to leave things till last minute like this. Leaving this till the last minute is absolutely poor planning, and now you guys seem to blame further delays for ON and PQ on weather. There is nothing strategic about a self-imposed emergency.
Since some people are indeed traveling March 1 or soon after, consider, as a goodwill gesture, extending otherwise expiring eUpgrade credits for a week until your mess is sorted out.