Fog causes several delays, cancellations at Sacramento International

Soupy fog created a few hurdles for airline passengers flying in and out of Sacramento International Airport today, authorities say.

Such weather-related interruptions are rare because of the airport's sophisticated landing systems - so rare that less than one-third of 1 percent of flights in the last year were affected, said spokeswoman Laurie Slothower.

However, almost a dozen flights between midnight and this morning were canceled or delayed after visibility at the airport dropped below the 700-foot threshold needed for the airport's system to work, Slothower said. At times, visibility dipped to 400 feet.

United Airlines had to cancel eight arriving and departing flights, Slothower said. An Aeromexico flight en route to Sacramento was diverted to San Francisco, and a Delta flight was diverted to Reno for refueling. Slothower knew of one delay for Southwest Airlines.

Tonight is forecast to be clear, and today's fog is not expected to return Wednesday.

http://www.sacbee.com