Here is an update from the FAA as of 5:45pm EST

Due to SNOW, the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was closed as of Jan 22 at 03:30 PM EST. The date/time when the airport is expected to reopen is Jan 22 at 09:00 PM EST.

Delays by Destination:

Due to WEATHER, LOW CIGS, departure traffic destined to The William B Hartsfield International Airport, Atlanta, GA (ATL) is currently experiencing delays averaging 31 minutes.

Due to WEATHER, SNOW, departure traffic destined to CYYZ airport is currently experiencing delays averaging 3 hours and 33 minutes.

Due to WEATHER, SNOW, departure traffic destined to Chicago OHare International Airport, Chicago, IL (ORD) is currently experiencing delays averaging 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Due to OTHER, AIRCRAFT INCIDENT, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, NY (JFK).

Due to EQUIPMENT, BACKUP TOWER OPERATIONS, departure traffic destined to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit, MI (DTW) is currently experiencing delays averaging 3 hours and 20 minutes.

The weather is bad everywhere today not just Philly.

To think, PHL hasn't closed since 1996. Wow! Pretty good. I had to drive/work in the snow today. :( Thankfully, I have a Subaru with AWD. :D

Now scheduled to open at 8:00 PM according to local news update.

Due to OTHER, AIRCRAFT INCIDENT, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, NY (JFK).



In case anyone else was interested in this one...

The local news just said that this was a Polar Air Cargo plane that skidded off of the runway, running into a foam concrete barrier around 3:30pm. Port Authority thinks due to lack of visibility, the pilots didn't realize they had run out of runway.

All I know is that US 2 (PHL-FCO) was cancelled tonight. This means that my return flight from Rome tomorrow (US3) is also cancelled.

Sure, there are many worse places to be stuck than Rome, but I was looking forward to getting home! I guess I won't have to shovel snow by the time I get there.

Anybody have a suggestion as to where I can watch the Steeler game in Rome? :D

Anybody have a suggestion as to where I can watch the Steeler game in Rome? :D

In the past, the American bars in campo de fiori have shown american sporting events (avoid the drunken ship). You' might have some trouble convincing them to stay open late though....(the game doesnt start until 12:30am in Italy).

You should try the bar across from the Drunken Ship (i'm drawing a blank on the name) -- the proprietor is a wonderful ex-pat who will take care of you.

All I know is that US 2 (PHL-FCO) was cancelled tonight. This means that my return flight from Rome tomorrow (US3) is also cancelled.
:D

I'm curious - what happens to you and others on your flight tomorrow? If the next day's return flight to PHL is already heavily booked, how do they pick and choose who goes? My assumption is that anyone with a confirmed ticket for the actual flight(not those stranded like you) will get their confirmed seats. Those who are stuck(i.e. you), get the last of the pickins. Is that how it works?

And, those who get involuntarily bumped, are they given the cash vouchers and the other compensation listed US' contract of carriage or are they given nothing since it's technically weather that caused the whole mess in the first place. I suspect that all, or most, of the European flights are cancelled tonight, so what's US do to get everyone home tomorrow?

This is the kind of thing that keeps the folks in dispatch and inventory management busy now.....

i can answer pretty assuredly that those already on the flight don't get kicked off when someone is reaccomodated.

I had decent luck for my sister who is on an award ticket tomorrow from PHL-DEN-BGR and her PHL-DEN part cancelled, what was nice was they left her seat to BGR and I called the CP desk and they managed to get her on DEN-PIT-PHL-BGR because they could only accomodate on US inventory on her award ticket. Somehow she got into F on her DEN-PIT part because it wasn't sold out.

Chris

I'm scheduled from ERI via PHL to PHX tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon/evening. Do you think operations will be back to normal by then?

To think, PHL hasn't closed since 1996. Wow! Pretty good. I had to drive/work in the snow today. :( Thankfully, I have a Subaru with AWD. :D

It closed two years ago for a day or two when we got something like 30 feet of snow. It might have actually been closer to three feet but it might as well have been 300. I dont remember it closing last year.

It closed two years ago for a day or two when we got something like 30 feet of snow. It might have actually been closer to three feet but it might as well have been 300. I dont remember it closing last year.

Indeed... President's Day Weekend 2002. I was in Seattle and couldn't make it back home until Thursday of that week (three days after the storm). Ops were screw#d up all over.

It seems that all the trans-Atlantic flights were cxld! I honestly do not know the last time that happened; PHL will move Heaven and Earh to get the Europe flights out. I do recall times when they were the only evening flights to operate out PHL during a weather event.

Word is that a bunch of the inbound transatlantics are now at PIT (which, despite 6-12" inches of snow is still doing just fine according to all reports).

Crown Jewel. Enough said.

I'm curious - what happens to you and others on your flight tomorrow? If the next day's return flight to PHL is already heavily booked, how do they pick and choose who goes? My assumption is that anyone with a confirmed ticket for the actual flight(not those stranded like you) will get their confirmed seats. Those who are stuck(i.e. you), get the last of the pickins. Is that how it works?

And, those who get involuntarily bumped, are they given the cash vouchers and the other compensation listed US' contract of carriage or are they given nothing since it's technically weather that caused the whole mess in the first place. I suspect that all, or most, of the European flights are cancelled tonight, so what's US do to get everyone home tomorrow?

This is the kind of thing that keeps the folks in dispatch and inventory management busy now.....


I know that the flight today from FCO -PHL was lightly loaded (20 "F" seats remained available). I haven't checked the Monday flight, but from what I've experienced recently US's transatlantic flights have been below capacity.

However this is a good question.......if both flights were over 50% capacity, who is left behind?????? I'll find out tomorrow!

In the past, the American bars in campo de fiori have shown american sporting events (avoid the drunken ship). You' might have some trouble convincing them to stay open late though....(the game doesnt start until 12:30am in Italy).

You should try the bar across from the Drunken Ship (i'm drawing a blank on the name) -- the proprietor is a wonderful ex-pat who will take care of you.

Grazie for the data........I'll give it a try!

I know that the flight today from FCO -PHL was lightly loaded (20 "F" seats remained available). I haven't checked the Monday flight, but from what I've experienced recently US's transatlantic flights have been below capacity.

However this is a good question.......if both flights were over 50% capacity, who is left behind?????? I'll find out tomorrow!

HPTUnco,


Are you coming from FCO tomorrow? I will be coming from Barcelona connection through MAD. I know that the FCO and MAD come in close to the same time so I might see you at customs.

T

From a quick look....
Looks like yesterday some of the mid-day eastbound transcons went to Charlotte instead of Philly. A number of outstations had their evening PHL flights fly directly from other outstations. Seems most of the transatlantic flights were able to land at Philadelphia and did so around the time of the closing, most about an hour late. The later arrivals (Munich, Manchester) went to Pittsburgh.

Another few fun ones I've heard about. Yesterday, for aircraft positioning purposes, US operated the following routes non-stop:
SJU-ORF
MSP-JAX

HPTUnco,


Are you coming from FCO tomorrow? I will be coming from Barcelona connection through MAD. I know that the FCO and MAD come in close to the same time so I might see you at customs.

T

Yes, assuming that US2 departs PHL tonight, I'll be on US3 on Monday. Of course with the weather there is no telling when the flights will arrive. I'm only P1SSED off that I'm missing the NFL games today.

PHL has been closed to all arriving traffic for most of the late morning and afternoon (perhaps earlier, too?) so that ground crews could clear the remaining snow off the runways and aprons.

I was originally scheduled on the 1:20 p.m. flight from RDU to PHL (GoFares run); last night it was cancelled so the CP desk rebooked me on the 11:55 a.m. The 11:55 was first delayed to 1:55, then at 1:25 it was cancelled completely. I'm currently in the RDU club waiting for the 3:30, which still shows an on-time departure and arrival.

Weather days like today are when it really pays to be CP and a club member. The line at the RDU gate for rebooking to PHL and beyond stretched 100 deep after the 11:55 flight was cancelled, and I'd imagine the regular reservations phone line had at least a 30-minute hold time. I just waltzed over to the RDU Club---no line there---and the club agent overbooked the 3:30 flight to get me a confirmed seat. ^

Strange that the backups are happening now. I was down at the stadium, and saw more than a few planes landing and taking off.

From a quick look....
Looks like yesterday some of the mid-day eastbound transcons went to Charlotte instead of Philly. A number of outstations had their evening PHL flights fly directly from other outstations. Seems most of the transatlantic flights were able to land at Philadelphia and did so around the time of the closing, most about an hour late. The later arrivals (Munich, Manchester) went to Pittsburgh.

Another few fun ones I've heard about. Yesterday, for aircraft positioning purposes, US operated the following routes non-stop:
SJU-ORF
MSP-JAX

Interesting that they'd pick the SJU flight to divert to ORF. WOnder if it was the A330 or another aircraft type that was sent here? Being based at ORF we never see anything larger than a 737 from US and a DL 757 so seeing a B767 or an A330 would be a real treat.

Does anyone know if the plane is still here? Its way too cold for me to venture out to the airport unless I know its still here?

Interesting that they'd pick the SJU flight to divert to ORF. WOnder if it was the A330 or another aircraft type that was sent here? Being based at ORF we never see anything larger than a 737 from US and a DL 757 so seeing a B767 or an A330 would be a real treat.

Does anyone know if the plane is still here? Its way too cold for me to venture out to the airport unless I know its still here?

It wasn't an A330. It was an A319 that was supposed to continue to ORF and overnight there. US did a lot of this... overfly the hub instead of cancel the flight and instead position the aircraft at its overnight so operations could be somewhat normal in the morning.

Edited to add: It was US268 that flew nonstop SJU-ORF, arriving about 5:00pm last night.


In other news, there is a ground stop on US Airways Express arrivals into PHL, at the request of US Airways. Apparently the gates are all packed as well as the ramp, so they've asked the FAA to prohibit any further Express arrivals.

Because of my job, I will be at PHL in a couple of hours. If anyone is watching the local PHL NBC station, you'll see a report from the airport about the lack of gates apparently.

Due to SNOW, the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was closed as of Jan 22 at 03:30 PM EST. The date/time when the airport is expected to reopen is Jan 22 at 09:00 PM EST.

Due to WEATHER, LOW CIGS, departure traffic destined to The William B Hartsfield International Airport, Atlanta, GA (ATL) is currently experiencing delays averaging 31 minutes.

Due to WEATHER, SNOW, departure traffic destined to CYYZ airport is currently experiencing delays averaging 3 hours and 33 minutes.

Due to WEATHER, SNOW, departure traffic destined to Chicago OHare International Airport, Chicago, IL (ORD) is currently experiencing delays averaging 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Due to OTHER, AIRCRAFT INCIDENT, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, NY (JFK).

Due to EQUIPMENT, BACKUP TOWER OPERATIONS, departure traffic destined to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit, MI (DTW) is currently experiencing delays averaging 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Notice how only PHL was closed, while all others it seems were maintaining some level of operations.... :rolleyes: :(

Notice how only PHL was closed, while all others it seems were maintaining some level of operations.... :rolleyes: :(


Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Boston Logan close too?

Yes, BOS was closed for almost a whole day, PVD, ISP and a few others were also closed, it was not a Philly problem but a snow problem.

[QUOTE=wahooflyer]and I'd imagine the regular reservations phone line had at least a 30-minute hold time. QUOTE]

Guess again I couldn't get through at all. Three times on hold over an hour and numerous other calls shorter duration. even at 4 am Sun morning stated your call will be answered in aprox 58 minutes...

Apparently a power failure of some sort slowed down Logan operations today... there was flow control implemented due to equipment/power failure according to the FAA.

Actually, BOS was closed for approx. 30 hours. It was "disabled" today because of a power outage in the terminal.

Yes, BOS was closed for almost a whole day, PVD, ISP and a few others were also closed, it was not a Philly problem but a snow problem.

P.S. My gf took the redeye from LAS-PHL and got in this morning ontime, with a gate available. :cool:

Notice how only PHL was closed, while all others it seems were maintaining some level of operations.... :rolleyes: :(



PHL is usually good at keeping the runways open during a snow storm. This is the first PHL closure due to weather since 1996.


Jay

I'm only P1SSED off that I'm missing the NFL games today.


You didn't miss a thang! The Steelers played like dogs and the Rookie showed he was still a rookie.

Notice how only PHL was closed, while all others it seems were maintaining some level of operations.... :rolleyes: :(
Did you check LOGAN and the 3 nyc airports?

My assistant just called me from Logan: His AA flight today was cancelled, and he had a nightmare of a time trying to get re-booked for tomorrow. On the other hand, my parents flew back from LAX today, and their flight to PHL only took off a few minutes late.