Travelers Happy Airlines Pre-Cancelled Flights
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DFW AIRPORT (CBS11) - Thanks to the winter storm hitting the mid-Atlantic and heading to the northeast, the number of cancelled flights nationwide keeps rising.
But don't expect to find long lines or large crowds of stranded passengers at DFW International Airport, American Airlines' home airport and Dallas Love Field, home to Southwest Airlines.
As of 8:00 p.m. Friday, there were 56 departures cancelled and 97 departures delayed at DFW Airport, and 18 departures cancelled and 21 departures delayed at Dallas Love Field.
Administrators at both airports say they're not expecting many, if any travelers to spend the night at the airport because of the weather.
But both say they're ready to help if necessary.
Airlines, including American and Southwest, pre-cancelled Friday flights, and are in the process of doing so for Saturday's as well.
Travelers I spoke with say they like it when airlines give them advance warning that their flights are being scrubbed.
That gives them a chance to book new flights or make other arrangements.
American Airlines says it cancelled its flights to Charlotte Friday because the airport closed.
It also scrubbed some flights to Raleigh-Durham, Washington-Reagan & Dulles, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
Louanne Provonsha was trying to fly home from DFW Airport to Tennessee.
She says she appreciated finding out early her flight was cancelled, but says it took her two hours to re-book on the phone. "I tried to change it online and they said no, it was too short of a time from when I would fly out so had to call in and talk to somebody."
Her business colleague, Robert Kersting, did all he could to get close to Nashville. "Trying any option to get home, tried to get to Nashville, got on a flight tonight, but that might still get cancelled.
She's going to Knoxville, and I'm going to Memphis now and driving the rest of the way."
The airlines are hoping to return to a normal flight schedule as early as Sunday.
If you're scheduled to fly to the mid-Atlantic and northeast, airlines strongly suggest you call ahead -- before you head to the airport.
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