Airports Experience Weather-Related Delays

By Courtney Collins

Airport officials say travelers should check their flight status before heading to the airport Thursday. While Washington Dulles, Reagan National Airport and Baltimore Washington International are all up and running, delays and cancellations are happening at all three locations.

Earlier Thursday at Reagan National, a runway was temporarily shut down so crews could clear snow.

A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority says Washington Dulles has four main runways, which allows crews to clear snow on one while shuttling take-offs and landings to another. Doing so has enabled Dulles to keep its runways open despite the snowfall.

According to BWI's Web site early Thursday afternoon, more than 50 scheduled flights were showing delays and a few have been cancelled.

Executive director of BWI, Paul Wiedefeld, says outbound delays are due to ice build-up on planes.

"Obviously when you leave the gate here, they have to go get de-iced now, it's a de-icing event, so that will take some time for sure," Wiedefeld says.

Most inbound delays are due to inclement weather in other areas.

Wiedefeld says travelers should leave extra time for their commute to the airport and check with the airline before packing the car and heading out.