At last check, more than 40 flights out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport have been delayed or canceled. Spokeswoman Jackie Mayo says while the snow and intense cold have slowed operations down, airport work crews have kept busy.
“We have a team of 52 guys working in 12-hour shifts, who stay on top of the taxiways, the runways, and the ramp area, as well as the road system around the airport to keep it all clean," explains Mayo. "Our snow has been literally blowing and going since this whole storm started.”
Mayo says people can either check out flight statuses online (http://www.clevelandairport.com/Flights/Flight-Tracker.aspx) or sign up for automatic notifications from their airlines to stay on top of delays or cancellations.
As for those traveling by public transit?
“I like to say, `Buses don’t have wings,’” jokes Mary Shaffer. She's spokeswoman for the Regional Transit Authority (RTA). She says to expect slowdowns in bus service due to the arctic weather and backed up traffic.
Shaffer adds that there’s a winter plan in effect that’ll help ensure passengers on RTA buses or trains get to their destination safely.
“That includes deicing the rails, making sure our buses are warm and ready to go. Having extra buses on the ready in case something does happen to one bus on the road, or to a train, to transport people.”
Shaffer says people can go online (http://www.riderta.com/) and check on buses and trains’ arrival times, so they don’t have to spend more time out in the cold than necessary.
Temperatures will gradually climb back up in the second half of the week, reaching the upper 30s by Friday.