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Icy weather cancels almost 1,000 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth airport

In a precursor of weekend delays, a traveler on Monday reads a flight tracking board showing numerous cancellations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
In a precursor of weekend delays, a traveler on Monday reads a flight tracking board showing numerous cancellations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
(Jim Tuttle / Associated Press)
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Icy conditions forced the cancellation Saturday of nearly 1,000 flights in and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Many of the cancellations -- 800 in total -- were American Airlines flights. American has its largest hub at the airport.

“Temperatures are still below freezing, so we are deicing every airplane,” said Matt Miller, spokesman for American Airlines. “We’re hoping that by this evening and tomorrow, we’ll be back to normal.”

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The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the area Saturday, cautioning drivers to be careful of light accumulations of ice. Freezing drizzle is expected for most of the afternoon, but temperatures will slowly rise above freezing through the evening, according to the weather service.

At the airport, runways were clear Saturday, and snow plows have been out on the tarmac since Friday, said Cynthia Vega, media relations manager for the airport.

About 650 flights were canceled Friday, she said.

The airport and American Airlines distributed cots and pillows to passengers who had to spend the night in the terminal, Vega said.

The Dallas-Fort Worth airport, a major connecting hub, is the third-busiest airport in the world, Vega said.

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