Airport passengers watch, wait on weather

People typically try to spend the least amount of time they can at the airport. But during a storm like this, the weather gets in the way.

“They're talking about 18 inches of snow. That could get pretty nasty,” Ed Nehring of Iowa City said. Nehring was at The Eastern Iowa Airport on Tuesday waiting for his family to fly back home from a recent trip.

Airport spokesperson Pam Hinman said crews would do everything possible to clear away the snow quickly.

“Our maintenance team will be working through the night to keep things moving on our end definitely,” she said.

Many flights into and out of The Eastern Iowa Airport were being delayed or canceled Tuesday night as the storm raged. To check current flight information at the airport, CLICK HERE.

Hinman says the airport always tries to keep at least one runway open, even during a storm like this. She also said people should contact the airlines directly via their 1-800 numbers. Local ticket agents cannot be reached via phone. The internet is also a good way to check your flight status, she said.

Fred Wesley is another traveler who spent hours searching for a way to get back to home. In his case, he was looking for a flight to North Carolina.

“The airlines are kind of difficult to deal with because they have so many rules and stipulations they go by. We're trying to get by a stipulation right now to get our ticket changed,” he said.

 He and several other musicians from the band Abraham Inc. came to Iowa to perform earlier this week. Now, they're not sure when they'll be able to get back home.