Dense fog delayed morning flights at Central Illinois Regional Airport on the day before Thanksgiving. (Stephanie Pawlowski/WJBC)

By Stephanie Pawlowski

BLOOMINGTON - It is the busiest travel day of the year, and Central Illinois Regional Airport Director Carl Olson said he can't image a worse day for dense fog.

Flights have resumed after morning delays at CIRA, but Olson said the long term effects will mean all day delays at larger airports, such as Chicago's O'Hare and Midway and Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta.

"In this case, everyone that misses a connection is going to have to be rebooked," Olson said. "The challenge for everybody isn't going to be getting out of CIRA, the problem is if they miss their connection in Chicago then what flight are they going to be booked on because those flights are full too."

By 8:30 a.m., airline officials said about 400 flights at O'Hare and Midway were delayed and 90 flights were canceled. Olson said it's going to be a challenge all day.

"I mean you just see this all the time. You plan to put all these technology opportunities in place and still it comes down to Mother Nature," Olson said.

Officials expect nearly two million people to fly over the Thanksgiving weekend. To check flight status at CIRA go to cira.com.

Stephanie Pawlowski can be reached at Stephanie.Pawlowski@Cumulus.com