Hundreds of flights delayed as winds disrupt San Francisco airport

Strong winds and a temporary security-related closure at Terminal 1 disrupted operations at San Francisco International Airport, delaying hundreds of flights and forcing evacuations, traffic congestion and travel advisories for passengers amid adverse weather conditions.

San Francisco: Hundreds of flights at US San Francisco International Airport were delayed and canceled due to strong winds and the temporary closure of the departures lobby at Terminal 1.

According to aircraft tracking website FlightAware, 432 flights were delayed, most of them arrivals, and 26 flights were canceled on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

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The Federal Aviation Administration said arriving flights were experiencing average delays of one hour and 44 minutes because of weather conditions and high winds.

Separately, the departures lobby at Terminal 1 was closed for more than an hour on Friday morning due to what airport officials described as “police activity,” and it reopened at around 10:45 a.m. local time.

Local media reported that Terminal 1 had been evacuated at around 8 a.m. local time after San Francisco police discovered a “suspicious package.” No additional information was provided.

“There is still heavy roadway congestion, so give yourself extra time getting to the Airport and consider dropping off at the International Terminal and taking AirTrain,” the airport said.

Departing passengers using Terminal 1 who do not have luggage to check can be dropped off at other terminals and use less congested security checkpoints, which can access all gates via walkways.