Dozens of delays at SFO following runway work

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Monday morning started off OK at SFO, with delays averaging about 15 minutes before 6 a.m.

By 6:25 a.m., there were 85 delays and 80 cancellations, including 17 Southwest flights, which were nixed altogether, airport officials said. By 2:17 p.m., the numbers had climbed to 263 delays and 124 cancellations.

That follows on the heels of Sunday's nightmare; when flights were delayed on average for almost four hours, due in large part to a runway out of service for reconstruction, according to the website FlightAware.  Over the weekend, there was a total of 624 delays and 247 cancellations. 

Airport spokesman Chuck Navigante said the biggest reason, by far, for the delays and cancellations is the runway work. Runway 28L, one of SFO's four runways, closed Saturday for a scheduled 20-day reconstruction.

"It's pretty much going to remain this was for the duration of the runway work," he said.

Airport officials ask that anyone planning to fly out of SFO in the next 19 days, or meet an arriving flight, to check with the specific airline on the status of any given flight before making plans.