Pittsburgh International Airport still pummeled by storm-related disruptions

Airport officials reported 68 flight cancellations Monday after about 200 Sunday.

By JACK TROY
TribLive

A majority of Monday morning flights at Pittsburgh International Airport were delayed or canceled as a massive snowstorm finished its sweep across the country.

Airlines called off half of the 70 flights departing before noon and postponed another 17, according to the airport’s flight status board.

Of the 28 morning arrivals, eight were canceled and 10 delayed.

Overall, Monday brought at least 68 cancellations to Pittsburgh International Airport, down from about 200 on Sunday, according to Bob Kerlik, an airport spokesman.

“As the national airspace starts to get moving again, as airports around the country are moving again, we expect those cancellations to taper off,” he said.

All flights today are still scheduled as normal.

Around a foot of snow blanketed much of Southwestern Pennsylvania on Sunday. The National Weather Service’s office in Moon — home of Pittsburgh International Airport — saw just over 11 inches.

The storm dumped similar snowfalls on much of the country, including large swaths of the Northeast and Midwest. A band of southern states also got several inches.

Nearly 4,000 U.S. flights had been canceled and more than 2,000 delayed as of 10 a.m. Monday, according to flight-tracking site Flight-Aware.

Airlines look at runways conditions, wind, where they want their planes to be positioned and other factors when deciding whether to alter flight schedules during winter storms, according to Kerlik.

Pittsburgh International Airport kept three of its four runways open throughout Sunday, even as other airports practically shut down. LaGuardia Airport in New York City literally did close Sunday.

Kerlik said those runways are still clear, as are the taxiways.

Despite improving conditions, he urged travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.