Council 66 Update for October 30th, 2012
Hurricane Sandy Aftermath
In NYC, the winds have passed and the waters are receding. The devastation is now becoming increasingly evident. An entire neighborhood near JFK, 80 homes — burned to the ground. Downed power lines and felled trees block the streets. JFK and EWR have suffered extensive damage and are littered with debris. LGA is the worst off — the entire airport was under water at one point, with flooding saltwater nearly topping jetway wheels. You can just imagine the impact on first floor operations as the waters of Flushing Bay have found their way throughout the structures. As the runways sit on piers, no doubt they will need to be inspected. Navaids and lighting are a concern. Airport employees may find transportation difficult for some time. Many are without power, still. It will take some time to recover. How long exactly, nobody knows for certain at this point.
We know our pilots are hungry for information. We know that many of you are waiting at outlying stations for your opportunity to return home. We know that many of you are trying to plan your commute in. We have been in constant contact with the NYC CPO as well as the MEC administration with the goal of assisting you as much as we possibly can. Here is what we know at the moment with regard to this frustrating, constantly changing situation:
NYC Mayor Bloomberg stated this morning "No flights in or out of any NYC airports will be allowed today". CNN reports all subways and tunnels are closed in NYC. The MTA has announced that they intend to resume operations later this evening with a goal of a “reasonable” level of service by tomorrow.
· LGA will be closed all day today. An assessment will be made at a later time as to the possibility of some operations resuming Wednesday.
· EWR facilities are in reasonably good shape, but no power is available at this time. Officials estimate there is a fair to good probability that power could be restored by tomorrow afternoon.
· The company is still working with the Port Authority to determine to what degree JFK may be able to operate on Wednesday. Limited operation could resume with arrivals after noon and the potential for departures later in the day. The previously scheduled Flight 9862 scheduled for Tuesday evening to position crews has been cancelled, and the company is considering other options for repositioning flights possibly beginning on Wednesday.
Based on eyewitness reports by employees: No flooding or evidence of water damage at JFK employee parking lot 7. There is some debris from trees and some buildings but not extensive. At LGA the back of the employee lot was flooded. More reports on LGA to follow when we have definitive information, but according to the company, the best current word is that the lot should be available to those pilots who choose to drive to LGA when operations resume.
We understand there is significant concern among our crews that have Wednesday and Thursday reports at any of the NY airports, both in terms of reaching the NY area as well as the availability of hotel rooms once you arrive. Little information is available. We have asked the MEC administration to strongly voice in the next Flight Ops conference call that the company must communicate a plan for repositioning flights, commuting assistance, hotel availability and the airport parking situation as soon as possible.
Additionally, ALPA is currently housing stranded Pilots at JFK whose flights out were cancelled by the arrival of Sandy on a space available basis.
Some things to consider:
Be aware of your 23k and reroute obligations. These are spelled out clearly in MEC Scheduling Alert 12-12 Hurricane Sandy: Reroute and Recovery Obligations, which is attached.
Recognize that open time is likely to appear on short notice for all categories when flying begins. If you desire to fly, keep an eye on it.
We sincerely hope you and your families are safe. If you need help with immediate needs, please call the MEC office at 1-800-USA-ALPA and ask to speak to a Delta Pilot Network volunteer. You may also ask to be put in touch with a Pilot Assistance Network (PAN) volunteer who can direct you to ALPA sponsored programs that provide financial and many others kinds of relief to ALPA pilots and their families.
For the latest pics of the devastation in NY, and for the latest info possible, please “like” us on Facebook: Click Here
Other Resources:
- Scheduling/Crew Tracking:
- Chief pilot Support Center:
- When Scheduling Calls
- National Hurricane Center
- The Weather Channel: Sandy Tracker
- MEC Scheduling Committee:
Tom, Chris and Patrick