Hurricane Rita impacting travelers and car rentals in Tulsa

Hurricane Rita is affecting business at Tulsa International Airport. Flights to and from the Gulf Coast have been canceled. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Rick Wells says the airport is ready for travelers

Friday, September 23rd 2005, 10:25 am

By: News On 6

Hurricane Rita is affecting business at Tulsa International Airport. Flights to and from the Gulf Coast have been canceled.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells says the airport is ready for travelers stopping in Tulsa who had not planned to be in Tulsa. TIA marketing director Mary Smith: "All flights to Houston are canceled."

So flyers many be coming to Tulsa, whether they had planned to or not, Tulsa International Airport is trying to help, so is the hotel-motel association, they are trying to find rooms where they can. Mary Smith: "We'll have information booths set up for people, not wanting to be here in Tulsa, but here they are."

Some of those folks may choose to stay and continue flying when the Houston airports reopen. Others will want to grab a rental car and continue the trip on the highway.

The rental car counters at Tulsa International Airport have been busy for the last couple of days. Jacki Dilks with Budget Car Rental: "Yeah, we've seen a real increase in our business in the last couple of days, it started yesterday morning and it's been booming." A quick survey of the other companies shows the same thing, all have plenty of cars left, although they say the selection is starting to thin out.

Ticket counters at airlines with flights not going to Houston are pretty normal.

No word on when the airports in Houston will re-open, but Mary Smith says they might be shut down until Sunday or Monday.