Roundup: Southwest cancelling flights in anticipation of Ike; 9/11 ceremonies

Good morning, travelers.

Hurricane Ike: If you’re hopping on a plane bound for the Houston area between now and this weekend, make sure you check with your carrier before heading to the airport.

Southwest Airlines will stop flying to and from Corpus Christi International Airport and Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, on Friday and Saturday because of Hurricane Ike, which is expected to hit the Gulf Coast starting Friday night. Southwest also will stop flying to and from William P. Hobby Airport at 9 a.m. Central Time on Friday, according to the airline’s website. Travelers should call Southwest reservations at (800) 435-9792 or go to the website for updates and information on changing their tickets.

Continental Airlines, whose hub is in Houston, on its website warns passengers to expect flight delays and cancellations through this weekend because of Ike. Ticket holders should call the airline at (800) 525-0280 or check the website.

Delta Air Lines also warns passengers about the storm’s potential impact and advises passengers heading to Texas who want to change their tickets to go to its website to check on re-ticketing policies and flight updates.

Ike is gathering strength and expected to become a Category 3 storm with winds upward of 111 mph when it hits shore, according to the national Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane warning area stretches from the Louisiana state line to near Corpus Christi, and mandatory evacuations were ordered in Harris County, where Houston is located.

9/11 ceremonies: Today there were moments of silence, ringing church bells and readings of victims’ names as America marked the seven years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks that began when planes slammed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center.

Here are some of the words of condolences:

“Today we renew our vows to never forget how this long struggle began and to never forget those who fell first.” — Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, at the dedication of the Pentagon Memorial.

“On a day when buildings fell, heroes rose… One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in America’s history.” — President George W. Bush, at the dedication of the Pentagon Memorial.

“All of us came together on 9/11 — not as Democrats or Republicans — but as Americans.” –Joint statement from presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, who are visiting New York’s Ground Zero today.

– Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times staff writer

[Photo: Spectators watch huge waves from Hurricane Ike roll by the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier on Okaloosa Island, Florida, on Thursday. Mari Darr-Welch / Associated Press.]

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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 11, 2008 at 10:44 am by Mary Forgione and is filed under Airline travel, News, Tips & Advice, Southern States. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.