Southwest Airlines canceled all of its 82 flights out of DIA today, and other airlines were bogging down in the snow blanketing the metro area.
Frontier Airlines canceled nearly 90 of 300 flights for today and is struggling to stay open.
“It’s going to be very difficult to fly the rest of today,” said Frontier spokesman Steve Snyder. “If you don’t have to fly today, you shouldn’t even try.”
United Airlines canceled 63 of its 180 flights out of DIA, with more expected, according to its operations office.
Passengers should not have to worry about additional fees to change their travel plans, the airlines said.
Reservation phones are jammed, so passengers are encouraged to go online to check on flights.
At midafternoon, three of the the four runways at the airport were open. More flights were coming in than were leaving.
At 1 p.m. about 16 people were in line at Frontier’s customer-service desk on the A Concourse.
Terri Sanders had flown in from Dallas on Frontier and planned to connect with a 12:45 p.m. flight to Boise. But the Boise flight was canceled, and Sanders was waiting to see what Frontier could do to get her home to Idaho.
“I have no idea where I’ll be tonight,” Sanders said. “I’ll probably ask for a hotel and fly out tomorrow.”
She had been visiting her mother in Tyler, Texas.
Sue Niemeyer of Greeley had come to DIA before her 11 a.m. Frontier flight to Oklahoma City. She had hoped to get on an earlier flight.
On Wednesday, Frontier reservation agents the airline would let people fly standby on earlier flights and that the carrier would waive extra charges.
But Niemeyer said when she arrived at DIA around 7 a.m., Frontier would not let her go standby until her flight was canceled.
It was canceled around 10:30 a.m., and Frontier booked her on an 8 p.m. flight to Oklahoma City. But she wasn’t confident that flight would go, and she was waiting in line to see what the airline could do for her.
“I’m not too happy,” she said.
Meanwhile, Centennial Airport and Rocky Mountain Regional Airport are expected to remain open through the storm. They handle only private and charter aircraft, with no scheduled flights.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
