makes a change from fog








Denver International Airport reopens



Frustrated travellers were forced to make alternative plans yesterday
after a snowstorm in Denver cancelled six flights on one of the busiest
travel days of the year.

As red cancellation warnings appeared on arrival and departure screens
in the Calgary International Airport, some passengers had to scramble to
find a Plan B to get to their holiday destinations on time.

Surrounded by a mountain of luggage in the U.S. departures terminal,
the Halyk and Lewis families, who had planned a two-week Christmas vacation
in Cancun, Mexico hit the phones to make new plans after learning their
connecting flight to Denver was cancelled.

Shelley Halyk, of Edmonton, who along with nine other members of the
two families arrived at the airport at 4:30 a.m., said she was frustrated
the relaxing vacation was off to such a rocky start.

"We've been trying to get another flight but when weather's a factor,
nobody's responsible," she said as her husband stood nearby, desperately
trying to find alternate bookings.

"We even said we'd split up but everything is full."


Carl Alleyne also ran into problems when he showed up at the airport
only to find he had to make other plans to get home to Orlando.

"I just showed up and it was cancelled," said the 22-year-old DeVry
student and Florida native.

"I was supposed to be down there by the end of the day, but now I have
no idea what's going on."

Calgary Airport spokesman Bryce Paton said despite the weather
plaguing Denver, most flights were arriving and departing on time, a
remarkable feat given the volume of traffic.

"There was some impact with the Denver flights, but otherwise it looks
like the airlines have got a pretty good schedule running," he said.

Brent Planche, a 24-year-old carpenter, said he lucked out because he
was heading home for Christmas alone.

He managed to book an earlier flight to San Diego via Seattle.