This week's weather waiver!
Jan 28, 2014, 7:04 pm
#91
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Delta Kryptonium Medallion, National Executive
Posts: 1,889
The prevailing wisdom, at least among my personal peanut gallery, is they should have proactively cancelled schools, encouraged people to work from home, etc. "out of an abundance of caution," as even the forecasters couldn't pinpoint the impact. Instead, the storm hit earlier than expected & everybody rushed to get home all at once, creating gridlock. (cue 1982 snowmageddon)
Atlanta's last big storm in 2011 hit on a Sunday IIRC. Sure, the airport stood still & roads were largely impassible, but for the most part people were warned about the severity of the storm & were at home anyway because it was the weekend.
As for spending tax dollars on prevention...every time I drive to my hometown Savannah I see all those hurricane gates meant to block access to I-16 that were put in place after the last mandatory hurricane evacuation (1999, the storm, as is typical, missed SAV). They have never been used and I wonder if they're even functional at this point. So I agree that an over-correction on equipment isn't needed, but a reconsideration of shutting things down in advance is worth consideration.
Atlanta's last big storm in 2011 hit on a Sunday IIRC. Sure, the airport stood still & roads were largely impassible, but for the most part people were warned about the severity of the storm & were at home anyway because it was the weekend.
As for spending tax dollars on prevention...every time I drive to my hometown Savannah I see all those hurricane gates meant to block access to I-16 that were put in place after the last mandatory hurricane evacuation (1999, the storm, as is typical, missed SAV). They have never been used and I wonder if they're even functional at this point. So I agree that an over-correction on equipment isn't needed, but a reconsideration of shutting things down in advance is worth consideration.
And lets not forget that de-icing equipment doesn't run itself. It take personnel...personnel that's stranded all over metro Atlanta's highways. Even if ATL had 10x the de-icing equipment, who do you expect to run it on short notice? Richard Anderson?
Take a step back and realize that there are others who are in worst situations in the metro. There are kids who are camped out at schools because their buses can't navigate the roads. I personally know of a group of special needs kids at Roswell High School who still can't get home. They've put out an all-call to anyone in the area with a wheelchair-accessible vehicle jut to get them home (if their parents have even made it home). Churches are opening their doors to provide shelter to stranded motorists. Police are providing rides from stalled vehicles to these shelters. The list goes on...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/397839673695382/
Last edited by plagwate; Jan 28, 2014 at 8:35 pm Reason: Added Snowed Out Atlanta FB Page
Jan 28, 2014, 7:50 pm
#94
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,365
Go to www.511ga.org and you can see the DoT map and it's cameras.
The south connector looks fairly clear, so they should have no issue getting the trucks out to sand/salt tonight.
Have you considered finding a local rental car return and taking Marta?
The south connector looks fairly clear, so they should have no issue getting the trucks out to sand/salt tonight.
Have you considered finding a local rental car return and taking Marta?
Jan 28, 2014, 8:04 pm
#95
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,227
The prevailing wisdom, at least among my personal peanut gallery, is they should have proactively cancelled schools, encouraged people to work from home, etc. "out of an abundance of caution," as even the forecasters couldn't pinpoint the impact. Instead, the storm hit earlier than expected & everybody rushed to get home all at once, creating gridlock. (cue 1982 snowmageddon)
Raleigh experienced a minor ice event in the middle of the day back in 2005 that the city was unprepared for. Kids were stuck in schools overnight because parents couldn't get to them, cars stuck for 8-10 hours, etc. etc. I was on jury duty that day and ended up walking the 1.5 miles home from the courthouse because city streets were gridlocked.
Flash forward to today in Raleigh, and they cancelled today's school last night even though snow didn't start until 5pm today...which is also ridiculous. Now they'd rather overreact than have a repeat of 2005.
Current ATL traffic, ouch:
https://www.google.com/maps/preview/.../data=!5m1!1e1
Jan 28, 2014, 8:15 pm
#96
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Delta Kryptonium Medallion, National Executive
Posts: 1,889
If You're an Atlanta Resident who Manages to Return to ATL this Evening...
Just received this email from The Parking Spot. Even if you're back in town, returning to your car may be impossible. Plan on staying in a nearby hotel if you can get there and find space.
Dear Atlanta Traveler,
Due to weather conditions, we currently cannot get shuttles to and from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Sections of Camp Creek Parkway and secondary streets between the airport are obstructing shuttle service to The Parking Spot and The Parking Spot 2.
Shuttles will run as soon as roads are unobstructed. Please call the facility for an update and staff will advise once shuttles are back in rotation.
Stay safe.
The Parking Spot
Due to weather conditions, we currently cannot get shuttles to and from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Sections of Camp Creek Parkway and secondary streets between the airport are obstructing shuttle service to The Parking Spot and The Parking Spot 2.
Shuttles will run as soon as roads are unobstructed. Please call the facility for an update and staff will advise once shuttles are back in rotation.
Stay safe.
The Parking Spot
Jan 28, 2014, 8:49 pm
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
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Posts: 12,159
Do people generally have luck doing co-terminal changes without increases in fares being applied? I'm flying LGA-ATL-XXX and would love to change to JFK-XXX.
Also, is it worth asking about the return as well, or are agents generally not inclined to swap that portion out? Thanks!
Also, is it worth asking about the return as well, or are agents generally not inclined to swap that portion out? Thanks!
Unless there's a good reason, the return might not be so easy to swap. (If it's XXX-ATL-LGA and you want to switch to XXX-JFK because your car will be there, I'd guess you have a chance if you ask nicely.)
Jan 28, 2014, 9:16 pm
#98
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,461
Atlanta is a complete mess. My normal 15 minute commute ended up being over an hour (lucky to take all backroads) and many of my coworkers normal 25-30 minute commutes have been taking 2-6 hours. I feel bad for those living in Smyrna/Marietta/Kennesaw as 285 and 75 are a complete mess. Coming from the north, this is a complete embarrassment of a response to winter weather. Even though we have got some snow, this was known yesterday and the fact that the roads were so congested today and schools weren't canceled, people didn't work from home, etc is amazing. I have seen far worse road conditions up in Minnesota and never seen traffic like today. I would recommend anyone in the ATL metro area to stay in. So many bad drivers out there who don't know how to drive in this stuff and not worth spending hours in traffic to go 1-2-3 miles.
As for the airline operation today, almost all the cancelations were done in advance so the schedule was trimmed before the day began and aside from de-icing delays, things ran about as smoothly as one could expect. The airport operation today looked extremely organized and well run compared to the road situation in Atlanta. I wish everyone traveling to/from/through ATL a safe journey!
As for the airline operation today, almost all the cancelations were done in advance so the schedule was trimmed before the day began and aside from de-icing delays, things ran about as smoothly as one could expect. The airport operation today looked extremely organized and well run compared to the road situation in Atlanta. I wish everyone traveling to/from/through ATL a safe journey!
So why didn't you take your own advice and work from home? Instead you, with all your Minnesota knowledge, were out there being part of the traffic issue
Jan 28, 2014, 9:33 pm
#99
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Twin Cities
Programs: Delta DM MM, IHG Plat, Hilton DM, Marriott SE, Emerald EE, Oakdale Gun Club, NRA & GOA Life Member
Posts: 3,870
Nola.com report says MSY closed through Wednesday (also reported by Weather Channel).
http://www.nola.com/business/index.s...rt_maj-story-1
http://www.nola.com/business/index.s...rt_maj-story-1
Jan 28, 2014, 11:07 pm
#100
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
This week's weather waiver!
7 hours wait for deice at ATL. Still waiting on plane. ATL must be really among the top of the worlds worst run airports and least prepared for such regular occurances as a little bit of snow.
Jan 28, 2014, 11:16 pm
#101
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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If you were kept on the aircraft for over three hours, this violates DOT rules and DL will be fined, right?
Jan 28, 2014, 11:26 pm
#102
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: CBP Global Entry, WN A-List Preferred, WN Companion Pass
Posts: 2,007
Field temp at 1:00AM was +20F with no precipitation officially reported for 5+ hours.
Jan 28, 2014, 11:29 pm
#103
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,417
1:15AM EST Wednesday - listening to ATL Tower ATC holding several departures in the various ramps awaiting their turn to "get in-line to be deiced". Have heard several get out of the departure line (after already having been deiced) and ask to "return to the gate due to the 3 hour Tarmac Rule".
Field temp at 1:00AM was +20F with no precipitation officially reported for 5+ hours.
Field temp at 1:00AM was +20F with no precipitation officially reported for 5+ hours.
Jan 29, 2014, 12:47 am
#104
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: ATL Concourse E Skyclub
Programs: DL PM, IHG, Hilton, Starwood
Posts: 199
Yeah! Let's impeach the Gov for this weather! Surely he could have stopped it, but instead chose to make the people suffer. Let's march on the Capitol right now! (Well maybe after putting on gloves). How dare our Gov't allow winter in ATL! -end sarcasm
Newsflash: It's winter. Even in the South. Sometimes (rarely) it even snows significantly... You may think that the answer is spending billions on equipment that might get used once every few years, however when you come back from the spirit world, you'll agree that that would be moronic at best.
Suck it up and enjoy the snow day(s). It'll be in the 50s on Friday.
Newsflash: It's winter. Even in the South. Sometimes (rarely) it even snows significantly... You may think that the answer is spending billions on equipment that might get used once every few years, however when you come back from the spirit world, you'll agree that that would be moronic at best.
Suck it up and enjoy the snow day(s). It'll be in the 50s on Friday.
"Billions?" How much do you think it would cost to adequately prepare for these sorts of events? Maryland budgeted $60 million for snow removal this year. Pennsylvania budgeted $245 million, and Virginia budgeted $79 million. Almost all of those budgets are operating, mostly for overtime pay, paying contractors, and some supplies of sand and gravel, etc.
In Georgia, the expenditure would be a *lot* less. What Georgia doesn't have is the capital goods required, specifically detachable plows and spreaders, or the system and people required to operate them. The state is perfectly happy to pay construction contractors with all the other equipment required millions every summer to do road maintenance, how about putting them to work in the winter?
Everyone just turning their palms up and saying "it's the weather" doesn't cut it. We don't and shouldn't do this for hurricanes, we shouldn't do it for snow storms either.