Frigid Temperatures Prompt Cancellation Of Over 80 Flights At Midway
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Over 80 flights were canceled at Midway International Airport on Thursday morning as frigid temperatures continue to move through the Chicago area.
As of noon, 84 flights out of Midway had been canceled, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. Average delays at Midway were estimated at less than 15 minutes.
Southwest Airlines, the predominant carrier out of Midway, confirmed Thursday that it had canceled nearly 90 flights out of the airport by 9 a.m. All told, 251 Southwest flights were scheduled to depart from Midway on Thursday, according to Southwest.
The extreme cold in Chicago is slowing ground crews as they deice planes at Midway, Southwest said.
A high temperature of 14 degrees was forecast for the city, with wind chills dipping below zero, according to the National Weather Service.
"We've been reaching out to travelers on affected flights with updates on delays and information about new flights," according to a statement from the discount airline.
Customers with reservations to, from or through Chicago can change their plans within the airline's customer accommodation policy, which is detailed at Southwest.com.
The Chicago Department of Aviation is monitoring the situation at Midway closely, and will assist Southwest and its customers to "minimize the impact" to the airport's operations.
Meanwhile, only a single flight had been cancelled at O'Hare International Airport by noon, with average delays estimated at less than 15 minutes.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2016. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)