About 15 flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport were canceled this evening, and airlines scratched 20 more from their Tuesday morning schedules.

"However, many flights are scheduled to depart on time, and passengers with travel plans over the next few days are encouraged to contact their airline to check the status of their flight," RDU spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin said in a news release.

The cancellations came as winter weather hampered airports in Atlanta and elsewhere in the South and northeast, and as forecasters were waiting for snow and ice to hit the Triangle.

Expect more cancellations. Check your airline. Check RDU's flight status page.

You're not flying to Atlanta today.

Hours before the first flakes reach the Triangle, today's snowstorm forecast has prompted airlines to cancel at least 15 flights out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport that were scheduled between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. today. Other flights are showing delays of an hour or more.

Iced-in Atlanta is the main destination canceled so far. Flights to Charlotte, Philadelphia and New York also are affected.

Expect more cancellations. Check your airline. Check RDU's flight status page.

I'll be reporting on driving and flying conditions today. Let me know how it's going for you (email: bruce.siceloff@newsobserver.com, phone: 919-829-4527).

Raleigh-Durham International Airport posted a 3 percent gain in passengers in September, the first such increase since March.

The RDU Airport Authority also reported today that the amount of cargo moving through the airport increased 1.2 percent in September compared to the same month last year. And airline seat capacity increased for the first time in 28 months.

The numbers are a sign that airline travel is recovering after slumping badly during the economic downturn.
 

Don’t trust the weather, and don’t trust the Web. Call the airline.  Even though the sun is shining in the Triangle, dozens of flights have been canceled today because of a blizzard covering the northeastern states. ... [MORE]