Milwaukee airport closes down as torrential rain floods airfield

Milwaukee's General Mitchell International remained closed down to flights through noon CT today after a deluge of rain left some of the airport's runways under standing water. More than a half ft of rain fell in the Milwaukee area on Th, causing widespread flooding throughout the city.

On its website, the airport tied the closure to "flooding on the airfield and roadways leading to the airport," according to Reuters. The airport advised "travelers should contact their airlines before heading to the airport to determine the status of their flights and make alternative arrangements if needed."

AirTran, one of the top carriers in Milwaukee, issued a flexible travel policy this morning for customers affected by floods and disrupted flight schedules.

The carrier says passengers schedule for travel to, from or through Milwaukee today "may change their reservation without penalty as long as travel is completed within five days from the date of the original scheduled departure date, based on space availability, without fees or fare adjustments."

The Associated Press says the airport first "closed around 9:30 p.m. [CT] when floodwaters began covering parts of the runways, airport spokeswoman Pat Rowe said. At one point, flooding also blocked outdoor ticketing and baggage claim areas."

Additionally, AP says "air traffic controllers were evacuated from their tower because of a tornado warning earlier in the evening. They were allowed back about an hour later, and a few planes were allowed to land and take off before flooding forced officials to close the airport, [Rowe] said. The airport remained closed Friday morning."

On the possibility of resuming flights, Milwaukee's FOX 6 TV reports "the airport will remain closed until at least noon [CT] when airport administration will re-evaluate the situation."