REGINA — The forecasted blizzard for Saskatchewan is creating challenges for the Regina International Airport.
According the airport’s departures list, three flights scheduled for Dec. 17 and one for Dec. 18 are cancelled, as of 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 17. Also, three flights scheduled to arrive Dec. 17 and one for Dec. 18 have been shelved.
Regina Airport Authority CEO James Bogusz said the airport typically has 20-25 departures and a similar number of arrivals on a daily basis.
At the time of an interview with SaskToday in the morning of Dec. 17, Bogusz said local conditions were very good.
“The runway is in great shape. We’ve got de-icer on there, meaning even with this little bit of freezing rain, the guys are keeping up no problem,” said Bogusz, adding the visibility is very good.
But it is common for airlines to “proactively” cancel flights in advance of a storm, he said, because they are concerned about runway visibility. People in Regina know how to move snow and ice, he said, but in a blizzard, the runway visual range for a pilot will drop below those safety limits, even with good lighting.
“When the airlines believe that that’s a likely outcome, like you’re seeing now, they start often pro-actively cancelling flights, because they don’t believe that the conditions would be adequate when the blizzard’s in full storm,” he said.
Other flights have been delayed, but he pointed out those can be for reasons other than weather.
Bogusz had several recommendations for people who are travelling, regardless of the time of year or the weather. When checking in for a flight, he asked them to give the airline the most up-to-date email address and cellular phone number. They will look to accommodate a passenger in the event of a cancellation.
“If it’s cancelled, you want to work with the airline to get on the next available flight, or in the case of today, once the weather conditions will improve. Often, it’s done for you with no interaction from you as a customer, but if you aren’t getting that information from the airline fast enough, you can always go down and see them at the airport, at the ticket counter,” he said.
Affected passengers can also call the airline’s 1-800 number, but Bogusz finds that when there is nasty weather in the country, phone numbers can start backing up, so it’s best to use online tools or wait for a text or email with re-accommodation options.
Bogusz also suggested that people arrive two hours before their flight regardless of the time of year or the weather conditions, as the Regina airport has 3,400-3,500 passengers a day between arrivals and departures.
“They need to be here early to make sure they can go through the security checkpoint stress-free, and have that extra time in case there are other areas of their process that are taking longer than usual,” he said.
Bogusz also said the local agents are doing their best and deserve respect and kindness.
