|
Airport runway loses lights during thunderstorm
Strong thunderstorms shut down operations at the South Bend Regional Airport on Wednesday night. Flights have since resumed and the runway lights were repaired Thursday afternoon.
Reporter: Ryan Famuliner Email Address: ryan.famuliner@wndu.com |
|
Lightning strikes more than twice and the South Bend Regional Airport is still feeling the effects of summer storms that tore through Michiana Wednesday night.
Authorities believe lightning caused the airport's runway lighting system to stop functioning, which left many planes and passengers grounded.
Authorities say a couple dozen flights in and out of the airport have been cancelled since last night's storm, forcing many people to re-schedule their flights.
It has caused a bit of a back-up, but airport officials hope things will return to normal very soon.
It is hard for an airport to function when pilots cannot see where to land. With no runway lights, flights were cancelled Wednesday night.
"When you have lightning strikes like this, it's just very difficult to deal with. I mean, we do the very best we can to make sure we stay open, but sometimes this happens, and the last time we've had something like this, it's been at least 5 years," said Mike Guljes, with South Bend Regional Airport.
Once the sun came out Thursday morning, flights resumed but foggy weather caused even more cancellations, with the runway lights still not working.
One passenger, flying to Arizona to see family, was delayed 11 hours.
"My uncle is not in great health, but I try to get up there once a year to visit with him. So he was a little disappointed I wasn't getting in at 11:00 clock this morning, and instead, it's 10:00 tonight," said Brenda Frays, around noon, as she waited for her 6:00 p.m. flight.
Authorities say that many flights leaving South Bend were cancelled and others that were meant to land there were diverted.
”We have flights that divert to South Bend when other airports have difficulties, and they reciprocate in situations like this. The good thing is the airlines will take care of the passengers," Guljes said.
That can be quite a task with at least ten cancelled flights and passengers who would rather not spend a full day at the airport.
"I mean we needed the rain so bad, but of all times, it's just I don't know, what are you gonna do? I'll be anxious to get to Tucson and lay by the pool, and spend time with my uncle," Frays said.
Airport authorities tell us the runway lights were finally repaired Thursday afternoon and should be functioning for the evening's flights.
There should not be any more cancellations related to Wednesday night's storms.
- Teacher injured breaking up fight between students
- UPDATE: No plea deal for Castile
- Names released of charity theft suspects
- UPDATE: Second victim dies in South Bend shooting; first double homicide in five years
- Whole Foods Market announces Mishawaka location
- Man killed, another injured in Elkhart County crash
- Edwardsburg police bust large underage drinking party
- Mishawaka man accused of beating dog to death
- UPDATE: Early morning fire hits iconic South Bend restaurant
- Newborns addicted to pain killers
- Teacher injured breaking up fight between students
61 Comments - Names released of charity theft suspects
46 Comments - Whole Foods Market announces Mishawaka location
35 Comments - Mishawaka man accused of beating dog to death
29 Comments - UPDATE: Second victim dies in South Bend shooting; first double homicide in five years
27 Comments - Humane Society looking for person responsible for dog abuse death
23 Comments








