Deicing Won’t Freeze Your Travel Plans

Winter weather preparations start well before the temperature falls. RDU works closely with our airline partners to ensure cold temperatures don’t freeze your travel plans. Bitter cold temperatures require airlines to take extra steps to ensure snow, slush and ice don’t accumulate on aircraft. 

You might have heard the term “deicing” from a pilot or flight attendant. Aircraft operating in winter conditions often require deicing to prepare for flight. To do this, airline staff spray deicing fluid, a mixture of glycol and water, on a plane’s wings and tail to prevent ice or snow from accumulating prior to take-off.

 Airlines are in charge of deicing aircraft and purchasing deicing fluid prior to winter’s arrival. RDU stores the fluid at the airport for safekeeping. On days when deicing aircraft is necessary, RDU identifies locations for your airline to conduct its deicing safely. Below is a glimpse of airline crews in action as they deice an aircraft in preparation for take-off.