Bad Weather Turns Planes Around For John Dingell's Funeral

WASHINGTON -- Michigan's bad weather Tuesday has even impacted former Congressman John Dingell's funeral.

Two military flights from the nation's capital had to turn back on Tuesday because of bad weather, according to his wife Debbie Dingell's office. The Detroit Free Press reported the planes were carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other dignitaries to a funeral in Michigan for former U.S. Rep. John Dingell.

Dingell, 92, was the longest-serving member of Congress in its history. He died last Thursday and Congress had offered military transport to anyone who wanted to attend Tuesday's funeral in Dearborn, according to the report.

The aircraft made it far enough to begin their initial descent into Detroit Metro Airport but could not land because of poor weather conditions due to ongoing winter storms moving through the region.

A Democratic aide in Washington, D.C., confirmed that the planes had turned back and other members of Congress posted tweets about it, including U.S. Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo., who said the members onboard held "an impromptu service" for Dingell at 30,000 feet.

Former vice president Joe Biden was among the speakers Tuesday at Dingell's funeral in Dearborn. He will have services this week in Washington, where former president Bill Clinton will speak.

Read the full story of the planes turing around here.

Image via AP/Susan Walsh