BOISE, Idaho — As travelers begin their journey home from the Christmas holiday, weather along with airline staffing issues because of increasing COVID-19 cases caused problems at the Boise Airport.
Nearly 1700 flights were grounded on Christmas eve, and Christmas Day because of staffing shortages, according to ABC News. At the Boise Airport numerous flights were delayed and a small number of them were canceled due to winter weather in other states.
Twelve flights out of the Boise Airport were canceled because of weather impacting the Pacific Northwest. Half of the canceled departures were headed to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Ten flights destined for other cities, like Seattle and Salt Lake City, were diverted to Boise.
Just after 10 p.m. Sunday, Boise Airport had to shut down the runway due to snow and icy conditions. The runway re-opened an hour later causing four flights in various cities to be held on the tarmac during the operation.
"Last night we did see consolidated precipitation, so our runways were cleared because the safety of passengers is our top priority. So, our airfield maintenance crew have been working around the clock to keep those runways surfaces clear," said Shawna Samuelson, communication and marketing manager for the Boise Airport.
Samuelson urges passengers to check with their airline before arriving to the airport.
The Boise Airport has each flight status available on their website.
