Delta flight races Hurricane Irma to Puerto Rico — and wins

New York Post ^ | September 6, 2017 | Chris Perez

[nickcarraway]

SNIP

A Delta flight that was heading to Puerto Rico from JFK airport on Wednesday managed to outrun Hurricane Irma — flying directly into the path of the Category 5 storm as it was bearing down on the island — before landing and taking off within the span of an hour.

The Boeing 737 was reportedly full of passengers after leaving the Big Apple at 8:12 a.m., according to FlightAware.

The online tracking system showed Flight 431 arriving in San Juan at 12:01 p.m. — just as Irma was making landfall.

SNIP

[Mark17]

Playing chicken with a typhoon, can be dicey.

[Blue Jays]

Why would a commercial flight be making that dangerous trip into a known hurricane at that time?

[Crucial]

Yes, no matter what direction the hurricane spins, it can be dangerous.

[Squantos]

Delta needs to change they’re name to the South American Airline “TACA” aka take a chance airline.

[Spktyr]

TACA has better pilots. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TACA_Flight_110

[JudgemAll]

I flew transatlantic above the eye of the Hurricane that took Bush Sr’s house. Every thing loose on the airplane, dishes, drinks , what have you, started shaking and then flew all over the cabin... what a mess. The pilot should have reduced speed

[Clutch Martin]

“Playing chicken with a typhoon, can be dicey”

Can you imagine the slightest delay? Maintenence issues always crop up...and it’s Murphy time!

I want to say “heuvos grande” but WTH was operations thinking?!?

[mowowie]

A friend from work named Irving visited his home country of Puerto Rico Saturday morning, i believe he was to come back home to MA via Florida today.
Hope he is doing OK...

[a fool in paradise]

>A Delta flight that was heading to Puerto Rico from JFK airport on Wednesday managed to outrun Hurricane Irma — flying directly into the path of the Category 5 storm as it was bearing down on the island — before landing and taking off within the span of an hour.

Foolish.

I’ve had domestic flights to NY or flying on a connecting flight that left from NY delayed 12+ hours over far far less. “Fog” reported in one of two cities, “drizzle”, etc.

All to deliver customers to a storm site in advance of a storm. Was there any evacuation order in place on the island?

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

You really gotta be on your game as there is no go around.Been there done that.

[ConservativeWarrior]

IF they had enough fuel on board to divert or return to the airport of origin, I don’t see the issue.

Once they landed, if anything delayed their departure, all they’d need to do is stay on the ground with the rest of the planes.

So long as diverting and scrubbing the return flight were on the table, this is a nothing burger. A hurricane may have 150+ mph winds, but the storms themselves don’t move that fast. This wasn’t a “race”.