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--> --> Portland airport partially reopens PORTLAND (AP) - Two flights - one Delta Airlines and one United Airlines - prepared to take off from Portland International Airport Thursday morning, but it could take awhile for the airport to resume full operations. Only 15 passengers were on board the United flight bound for San Francisco, which had been grounded since Tuesday when commercial air traffic across the country was suspended because of terrorist attacks on the East Coast. The Delta flight to Kansas City was a regularly scheduled flight, airline officials said. The Portland airport was one of the first in the country to receive clearance to open and begin sending thousands of stranded passengers on their way, but most airlines canceled flights for the day because many destination airports remained closed. No flights were scheduled to arrive at the airport today, and it was unclear if others would take off. Eugene Airport at midmorning was awaiting word from the Federal Aviation Administration on whether it had been cleared to resume operation, said airport spokeswoman Diana Bell. The only flight scheduled for departure was an America West flight to Phoenix. All the rest of the airport's 38 daily outbound flights were uncertain, mainly because it was uncertain when destination airports had resumed operation, Bell said. Eighteen F-15 fighter planes from the Oregon Air National Guard in Portland continued their 24-hour surveillance flights over the West Coast. Unticketed passengers were not be allowed past security checkpoints and cars left unattended within 350 feet of the airport were towed. Additional police officers were posted, parts of parking lots were closed, and curbside check-in was canceled. Airlines that won't fly out of Portland today include Alaska, Hawaiian, Southwest, Northwest and Continental. Passengers on United's international flight that was diverted to Portland would get first consideration once the flight ban was lifted, Brooks said. The flight had originated in Vancouver, British Columbia and was headed for San Francisco. The airlines would handle all other passengers on a first-come, first-served basis, Brooks said. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing