Friday, DFW Airport said a third runway had reopened as airlines try to return to a more normal schedule. Friday afternoon, FlightAware reported more than 1,100 cancellations at DFW in the past 24 hours.
"Airport crews continue to treat runways, taxiways, overpasses and roadways as temperatures remain below freezing," the airport wrote in a statement. "We encourage all travelers for domestic flights to arrive at the airport at least two and a half hours before your departure to clear TSA checkpoints. While flights continue to resume, customers should check with their airline before heading to the airport."
In Terminal C, just one security checkpoint was open Friday afternoon.
"This line is almost a mile long," one man headed to Charlotte said. "It stretches way back there. I got here an hour early, and I'm still about to miss my flight."
"I said back there this would be an hour wait," another passenger on a flight to Chicago said. "The good news is while we're sitting here, my flight just got delayed by an hour, so I just got breathing room. Lucky me. I am keeping a really good attitude right now."
TSA says two issues are affecting lines at DFW: some agents could not come to work because of icy roads and lack of service on DART and Trinity Metro. Also, as airlines try to make up for canceled flights, more people are coming through security.
"We can't say it enough: If you're traveling, make sure you allow yourself enough time not only to get to the airport because roads may be slick but also to get through security," TSA's Patricia Mancha said.
Mancha says wait times will fluctuate this weekend as TSA calls more people working desk jobs to staff security checkpoints. She says TSA will also work with airlines and DFW Airport to see which gates will be most active and move security to those checkpoints.
"Really, we're doing all we can to help accommodate the uptick in travelers we're going to see going into the weekend," she says.
Mancha urges those arriving for international flights to come to the airport three hours before departure. She also encourages travelers to double-check their bags to make sure they do not have any prohibited items, saying that also slows down security.
"Be a good traveler in this community," she says. "Know what you're bringing to the airport, arrive on time. If you allow yourself enough time to get through security, you're going to be less stressed."
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