Houston airports open with a safety warning after Hurricane Beryl slams the area

HOUSTON – Both Houston airports opened Monday night on a limited schedule and with a warning -- travel to the airports is still hazardous.

• Approximately 11,500 workers mobilized to restore power to over 2 million in Houston area after Beryl

UPDATE: Hobby Airport is working on returning operations to normal. Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for the most up-to-date flight information before heading to the airport.

Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airport were forced to cancel flights Monday morning as Beryl dumped more than 15 inches of rain in parts of the area and 90 mph winds caused widespread damage and power outages to more than 2 million customers. Three people died during the storm.

• HPD employee dies in Hurricane Beryl floodwaters while on his way to work

Houston Airport administrators said along with knowing that traveling to the airport may be cumbersome, it’s crucial passengers also understand:

• Due to the hurricane, airlines have a travel waiver policy that allows passengers to rebook flights scheduled between July 7 and July 9 at no additional cost.
• While some flights will resume later tonight, operations are very limited.
• Airlines are returning planes to Houston Monday night to return Houstonians who are out of town and to be ready to restart limited flights tomorrow.
• Consider a travel waiver. Aviation Director Jim Szczesniak said he joins Mayor Whitmire in asking all Houstonians to stay off the roads if possible. Travel waivers allow you to delay your trip until it’s safe to get to the airport. Airlines can rebook passengers flying out of Houston between July 7 and July 9 at no additional cost to the passenger.

RELATED: Closures and cancellations announced for Tuesday following Hurricane Beryl

“First responders are working to mitigate hazardous traffic conditions that pose a significant threat to both passengers and airport workers. Stalled vehicles may still need to be cleared from the road. Traffic signals and streetlights may not be operating. METRO Houston is not operating today and is going to be offering limited service tomorrow,” the airport advisory states.

Flight schedules were being updated by 28 airline partners -- some were offering limited flights Monday night and expecting to do the same Tuesday.