Milwaukee airport delays, military plane tire failure closes runway

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport spokesperson said an aircraft tire failure temporarily closed a runway on Friday night, May 24.

Officials said a military aircraft with the 128th Air Refueling Wing experienced the failure upon landing at the airport. No one was hurt, but debris from the tire failure called for runway cleanup and maintenance to the aircraft. The runway reopened around 8:30 p.m. after an hours-long response.

The spokesperson said some flights were still able to land and depart on an alternate runway, but advised travelers to check with their airlines in regard to flight status. Arrivals and departures can also be tracked on the airport's website.

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Memorial Day travel

The flight disruptions come during the start of the Memorial Day weekend travel window. The Transportation Security Administration announced on Thursday it was prepared for the highest passenger volumes the agency has seen at airport security checkpoints nationwide during this summer’s travel season. 

Officials said the highest volume outgoing from Milwaukee will be on Saturday, May 25. The busiest time for return travel to is expected to be on Tuesday – the day after Memorial Day.

"We want to tell passengers to get here early, up to two hours" said Frank Papia, TSA spokesperson. "If you get past the checkpoint, you're safe. So I'd rather be sitting on the other side of the checkpoint without having the stress of going through it."

On the roads, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation anticipated Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Monday, May 27 from 3-7 p.m. would be the peak travel times. Most road construction will pause over the holiday weekend to open as many lanes as possible. However, significant road construction projects may still impact Memorial Day weekend travel.