United Cancels All Saturday Flights Out Of DIA
DENVER (CBS4)- United Airlines has canceled all of its flights out of Denver International Airport for Saturday in advance of the impending storm. There are a total of 678 flight cancellations out of DIA on Saturday, that's more than half of all scheduled flights.
United plans to resume limited operations on Sunday. The airline is also waiving change fees that might otherwise apply for customers with tickets who re-book flights through April 20.
Those with canceled flights may get a refund if they choose not to travel.
Many airlines have enacted travel waivers for passengers who are scheduled to travel this weekend. Those include United, Frontier, Delta and Virgin America.
DIA also said delays may be possible for other flights that haven't been canceled through the weekend. Passengers are encouraged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Additonal Information from DIA:
- DEN has more than 250 pieces of airside snow removal equipment and 110 pieces of equipment for landside parking lots and roadways, and more than 500 trained snow-removal personnel.
- The equipment being deployed for this storm includes blowers, brooms, blades, plows, runway sanders, 4,000 gallon chemical trucks, loaders with box plows, snow melters and multi-function equipment.
- The airlines are expected to be in full deicing operations for the duration of the snow. Passengers should expect to spend a little extra time on the aircraft prior to departure. The average deicing time is approximately 16 minutes, but can vary based on the type of aircraft.
- The airport is encouraging passengers who are driving to the airport to allow plenty of extra time and to drive with extreme caution.
About Snow Removal at DEN
- The airport property spans 34,000 acres (53 square miles/137.8 square kilometers)
- DEN contains approximately 300 lane miles of roads (more than the distance from Denver to the Utah border)
- The airport has 30 acres of parking lots with more than 40,000 public parking spaces (more than 23 football fields)
- DEN melts the snow that is cleared from the ramp areas near aircraft gates. DEN has two different types of melters – 10 melters that melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour.
- By using multi-function pieces of equipment and making other improvements to snow management, the airport has reduced the average amount of time needed to clear a runway from 45 minutes in 2006 to under 15 minutes today. DEN has six runways:
- Five are 12,000 feet in length (3,600 meters) and 150 feet wide
- One is 16,000 feet in length (4,800 meters) and 200 feet wide, and is the longest commercial runway in North America
Travel Tips for Passengers
- Travelers should check their flight status before leaving for the airport with their airline or on www.flydenver.com
- Motorists should drive with caution and allow extra time when heading to the airport.
- A good rule of thumb is to be inside the airport two hours prior to flight departure time. This should allow for plenty of time to navigate flight check-in, security lines and travel to the gate.
- Garages often become full during inclement weather. Passengers can guarantee a reserved parking spaces in the garages by visiting www.DIAreservedparking.com and check parking availability at www.flydenver.com
- Passengers who have time inside the airport before a flight can use new digital directories positioned throughout the concourses to help navigate the airport or find dining, shops, massages and other services. Passengers can also stop by one of five life-sized postcards as part of the airport's "Wish You Were Here" installation.
