Runways open at Seatac Airport

After all  runways at Seatac International Airport were closed due to ice, two runways are open.

“This is a pretty rare event for us, said airport spokesman Perry Cooper.  Cooper said he thought such an event hadn't occured for at least 10 years.

No flights were able to depart or land because of the icy conditons.

Cooper said the 6 a.m. hour was a critical time for departures and crews were working with deicer fluid, and trucks with brooms and scrapers.

At 6:30 a.m., Alaska Airlines tweeted that they canceled all inbound and outbound flights until 10 a.m. except those between Seattle and Hawaii, the Midwest, East Coast and Mexico. Additional flights are expected to be canceled throughout the day.

By 7 a.m., one runway was open, but taxiways still needed to be deiced.  By 7:30 a.m., air traffic was able to resume on one runway. By 11:30 a.m., two runways were open.

Airport spokeswoman Charla Skaggs there are still delays and travelers should check with airlines before heading to the airport.