Posted on 09/04/2005 5:42:46 AM PDT by Our_Man_In_Gough_Island
The nation's airlines, temporarily unable to provide commercial service to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, have been putting aside their financial troubles to fly supplies to and bring evacuees out from devastated areas.
Relief flights arrived at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at a rate of about four an hour Friday.
The flights started a day after Delta Air Lines executives piloted a plane that dropped off supplies at New Orleans' main airport and returned with 140 refugees on board.
United Airlines, meanwhile, flew 24,000 pounds of food and water and 30 medical technicians from Chicago to New Orleans and returned with 104 evacuees.
"If we save one life wouldn't it be worth the effort?" said Jeff Grinnell, an American Airlines captain. "We're ready to go."
Dozens of airlines take part More than a dozen passenger airlines are taking part in the evacuation effort, which could fly more than 25,000 to 30,000 people from the New Orleans area.
Hundreds of private pilots also are offering assistance.
The airlift was organized by the Air Transport Association, a trade group for the major carriers, after several carriers began planning their own mercy flights.
"This extraordinary civilian airlift is unprecedented in U.S. history and is a shining example of how America can come together to help those in need," said James May, president of the trade group.
The evacuees will be taken to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and other sites picked by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, officials said.
While airlines said they are willing to make airlifts, they want the government to help pay for the operation.
The nation's major airlines have lost billions since the recession and the terrorism attacks of 2001. And two carriers in particular — Delta and Northwest Airlines — are struggling to avoid bankruptcy.
Fuel reimbursements Jack Evans, a spokesman for the airline trade group, said FEMA agreed to reimburse the airlines for jet fuel used in the airlift, "but other than that, the airlines are doing this on a volunteer basis. The crews on board are all volunteers."
In other efforts:
• Some pilots have set up a shuttle service out of Baton Rouge, La., to evacuate high-risk people to Texas. Others are flying damage-assessment missions and bringing in supplies. • Houston-based Continental Airlines said it would give 1,000 tickets for hurricane victims to relocate within the United States. •Atlanta-based Delta flew plywood, tarps, water, generators and other goods Thursday to New Orleans.
Gosh, I will eagerly await the international media and especially the French to report on this!!
Well done. Excellent news, and as we turn the corner on this situation, I believe that we will continue to see the good news increasing.
Thanks. Flying in lumber - can you imagine that?
I guess that odd situations make for odd reports. The oddest report that I can remember of items being brought in by air transport was when Toyota was reported to have brought steel in from Japan during the West Coast dock strike by air.
I'm sure this is a huge air effort. But bigger than the Berlin airlift? I recall the footage and the talk about how they landed a cargo plane every couple of minutes for days on end for Berlin's airlift.
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