Briefly in the news

Paul Clinton

Flights were halted at John Wayne Airport on Tuesday morning because

of foggy conditions.

No planes arrived or departed from the airport between 8:55 and 9:45

a.m., airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley said.

The 11 commercial airlines that operate at the airport imposed the

“ground stop” after pilots reported a lack of visibility on the runway.

Pilots require about 1,600 feet of runway visibility to safely take

off and about 2,400 feet for safe landings.

The airport’s 5,700-foot runway was not a factor in the stop.

Foggy conditions have been known to halt operations at the airport in

the past. There were several such incidents in 2000, though it is a first

for this year, McCarley said.

Also, airport fire and rescue vehicles responded when the pilot of

American Airlines Flight 1429 said he smelled smoke.

The plane arrived at the airport about 12:35 p.m., McCarley said.

After taxiing to the gate, the pilot switched on the plane’s auxiliary

power source, a normal practice so airline workers can clean the plane

while it prepares to take off.

No passengers were on the plane at the time, and no one was hurt.