Winter storm cancels some RDU flights

Mark Chandler's quick business trip to Orlando began without a hitch Friday. But he said that his return flight worries him.

"I'm due to come back 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. from Orlando on Saturday," Chandler said. "So if we have a lot of snow, I'm going to have my hands full."

R.K. Lee, of Seattle, took the precaution of booking some extra nights at his Raleigh hotel in case he gets snowed in.

"We didn't expect it was going to snow in Raleigh," Lee said.

There is some hope for travelers who want to avoid fees for rescheduling their flights.

"Some airlines, during inclement weather, will allow some flexibility for passengers, allowing them to make changes to their travel plans without penalty," RDU spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin said.

JetBlue, Delta and Northwest Airlines were allowing passengers to reschedule without penalty.

Late Friday, Southwest, Delta and Northwest Airlines canceled all Saturday departures from RDU.

AAA recommends that travelers call their airlines to see what accommodations can be made, especially if there's significant snowfall.

"Call the airline and advise them, 'I can't get out of my driveway. I cannot get to the airport. I will not be making this flight,'" said Jodi Woolard, with AAA Vacations.

On Friday, travelers were keeping their eyes to the skies, awaiting the winter weather that's moving in.

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens, but that's OK. That's what traveling is all about," Lee said.