Spring blizzard shuts down Denver airport, affects McCarran flights

Stormy weather shut down Denver International Airport on Wednesday, affecting flights to and from Las Vegas.

Almost two dozen flights scheduled between McCarran International Airport and Denver were canceled, McCarran spokesman Chris Jones said.

A British Airways flight that was scheduled to land in Denver is now expected to land at McCarran, he said.

For those traveling or picking up travelers from the airport, “Check flight statuses,” Jones said. “If planes can’t depart or land, passengers may be put on different flights. The airlines decide what to do.”

The Denver airport remained closed because of weather, visibility and treacherous conditions on the airfield, according to the airport. The last time a blizzard closed the airport was in 2006, for two days.

In Denver, blowing snow made the road to the airport impassable. The outbound lanes reopened Wednesday afternoon, allowing passengers to escape to town, airport spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said.

Visibility had started to improve by late afternoon and some flights may resume Wednesday night, Stegman said.

Meanwhile, restaurants are extending hours and some will be open all night for crowds of stranded travelers.

Hundreds of people with suitcases and duffel bags stood or lay around the terminals and there were long lines to get into airport bars. Some travelers leaned against walls, bags strewn at their feet, as others charged their phones.

Passengers at the airport were being asked to stay put until conditions improve and driving is safe and passable. The airport will make announcements when roadways are again safe for travel, the release said.

The storm was mainly hitting the eastern, flat halves of those states, shutting down long stretches of highways, including Interstate 70 from near the Denver airport to the Kansas border, a 500-mile stretch of Interstate 80 in Wyoming into Nebraska as well as Interstate 25 in northern Colorado and Wyoming.

“It’s pretty much kicking our hineys,” Tim McGary of the Wyoming Department of Transportation said. “It’s bad enough we can’t keep up with it. That’s why everything is closed.”

Highway officials issued a rare order for drivers to stay off interstates in the Denver area unless they have chains, snow tires or four-wheel drive vehicles to avoid causing accidents. Normally, that’s a warning issued for drivers in the mountains.

Authorities discourage driving throughout eastern Colorado. Car travel is not advised near the airport, Denver airport officials said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Raven Jackson at rjackson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @ravenmjackson on Twitter.