CASCADE, Mich. — About 11,000 travelers are expected to fly into or depart from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport on Wednesday before the winter storm begins to impact West Michigan Thursday.
American, United and Southwest Airlines are already allowing travelers to change or cancel their flight without penalties because of the winter storm.
As of Wednesday morning, there are no major cancellations for arrivals or departures at the Ford Airport, but that could change in the coming days.
13 ON YOUR SIDE has learned Allegiant has canceled at least one flight on Friday going from Florida to Grand Rapids and it's very possible that many other flights coming into Grand Rapids will do the same.
Airport officials say additional seasonal staff have been hired just to remove snow and ice.
Alex Peric, Chief Operation Officer at the Ford International Airport, says they have already encountered severe weather this year and they are just as prepared for this next round.
"This weekend or this holiday season is no different than let's say Thanksgiving," Peric said earlier this week. "Thanksgiving, we were already tested, with 26 inches falling in about four days so our folks are already kind of, you know, prepped for whatever we have in store or Mother Nature has in store for us this weekend."
We're told peak holiday travel times are from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2.
2019 was a record-breaking year for the airport and right now they expect to be at or near those levels by the end of this year.
The best way to check on your flight for delays or cancelations is to check with your specific airline. The airport also has a real time flight tracker for arrivals and departures.
The biggest departure day during this travel period is Thursday. The storm is expected to begin Thursday night.