WARWICK – After working since early morning, work crews have reopened T.F. Green Airport, according to airport spokeswoman Patti Goldstein.
The airport was shut down last night after high winds from a rare spring nor’easter blew down a temporary construction wall behind the security checkpoint, Goldstein, the airport’s vice president of public affairs, told Providence Business News.
The temporary construction wall was toppled shortly before 3 a.m., scattering debris across the security checkpoint and exposing the terminal to the storm, Goldstein said. She said she didn’t think the security checkpoint itself had been damaged.
Flights scheduled to depart and arrive after 12:30 will proceed as usual, but some delays could linger this afternoon as a result of the airport’s closure this morning, Goldstein said.
Seventy-six flights had been cancelled as of noon, including 51 departures and 25 arrivals, shesaid.
Airlines have contacted their passengers to inform them of the airport’s closure, and are working with passengers to book them on other flights, Goldstein said.
Other airports across the Northeast – including Logan Airport in Boston and La Guardia in New York – also were experiencing storm-related delays, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Green’s closure occurs on a busy travel day during school vacation, Goldstein said. “Today was a very busy day, and a lot of flights were booked quite heavily.”
“We still encourage people to check with their carrier,” she said. “We will do everything that we can, as will the carriers, to re-book them and get them to their destinations. We just ask them for patience.”
Additional information is available from the Federal Aviation Administration at www.fly.faa.gov and T.F. Green Airport at www.pvdairport.com.
