Airlines Cancel Flights In And Out Of Tulsa

NewsOn6.com

4:15 p.m. Update:

Last flight from Tulsa International Airport has departed for the day.  Friday morning departures will depend on whether the airlines have equipment in place.

American:  6:10 a.m. to Chicago and 7:05 a.m. to DFW

Continental:  9:22 a.m. to Houston

Delta: 11 a.m. to Detroit

Frontier:  4:20 p.m. to Denver

Southwest:  8:35 a.m. to Denver

United:  10:40 a.m. to Chicago 

Again, Tulsa International Airport says these times hinge on if the airlines choose to bring their airplanes in to Tulsa. 

2:30 p.m. Update:

According to the Tulsa International Airport web site at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, the last flight out of the Tulsa International Airport is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., an American Airlines flight. There are still two incoming flights scheduled to land.

Tulsa International Airport latest flight information:

American:  3:30 PM and 6:05 PM departure scheduled, all other flights canceled.

Continental:  Previously had announced all flights after 9:20 were canceled, however depending on when the storm comes in their 3:30 PM and 6:05 PM may still operate.

Delta:  11:10 AM and 5:50 PM departure scheduled, all other flights canceled.

Frontier:  Remaining flight canceled.

Southwest:  All departures for the remainder of today have been canceled.

United:  10:30 AM departure scheduled, all other flights canceled.

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TULSA, OK -- Wednesday afternoon, several airlines which serve Tulsa decided to cancel flights in and out of Tulsa on Thursday as the winter storm approaches from the west.

While some travelers juggled travel plans, the rest of us were loading up and preparing to be stuck at home.

At least two airlines, Southwest and Delta have canceled more than a dozen flights already and the threat of ice could clip more airlines wings as the storm approaches.

With airplanes taking off into clear, blue skies, it's hard to believe airlines have grounded flights for weather.

"We're preparing for a storm worse than 2007," said Alexis Higgins, Tulsa International Airport Spokesperson.

Dozens of travelers were stranded at Tulsa International Airport when that ice storm froze travel.

"Ice is just something that airplanes don't agree with. We could handle four inches of snow a lot easier than we can handle even a half-inch of ice," Higgins said.

With an eye to the forecast, Southwest Airlines preemptively canceled all arriving flights for Thursday except for the first four flights out of town Thursday morning.

Delta Airlines also canceled its morning flights.

Other airlines are in a holding pattern, choosing to watch the weather and wait.

Waiting was not an option for many Tulsans, whom stacked up two to three cars deep at gas pumps and flooded local grocery stores.

"Usually would wait, until he finished his homework or something. But I wanted to get here as soon as possible, ‘cause, I figured, ya know, everyone would be here. So do it now and everyone is here," said Dori Joffe, Shopper.

Dori Joffe says she learned her lesson during the Christmas eve blizzard, "Just want to be prepared just in case, not like last time. We tried to come to the store and everything was gone, soup, everything."

Joffe got what she needed and prepared to ride out the storm at home.

If you have to travel, airport officials advise you to check-in with airlines before you head-out.

"If you have some flexibility and don't want all of the stress of not knowing whether or not you'll be able to leave, go ahead and call your airline now and change your flight to a Sunday departure," Alexis Higgins, TIA Spokesperson.

Your travel plans will likely be disrupted Thursday, but so far there are no cancellations for Friday but that all could change, so be prepared for delays.