Login Register Members

At JFK Airport, more than 180 flights will take off and land while at Newark airport more than 170 flights are scheduled, with both running normally by tomorrow.

In an incredible turnaround, LaGuardia Airport also opened at 7am this morning with a limited service, only days after its runways were completely flooded.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says the first plane landing at LaGuardia was a Delta Air Lines flight out of Syracuse, adding passengers must confirm their flights are going before heading to the airport. He says Kennedy and Newark should be at full operations tomorrow.

UK airlines were able to offer near-normal services to storm-lashed New York today.

Virgin Atlantic operated its usual four-flights-a-day service to New York and was also operating normal schedules to Newark in New Jersey and to Boston and Washington DC.

British Airways was flying all but one of its 11 daily services to New York as well as normal services to Newark and its other US east coast destinations.

'We flew an extra flight to American yesterday to clear the backlog and we are gradually getting the held-up people home,' said a Virgin spokeswoman today.

BA was operating an extra flight to Newark today and the airline has added more ticket machines at airport terminals in New York and Newark to help customers through the rebooking and check-in process as quickly as possible.

A BA spokesman said: We would like to thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding.'

But they are still warning there is a backlog.

A Virgin statement read:  ‘Because flights are already very full it will be a little while before everybody is accommodated.

‘If you have already been re booked on a flight due to leave in the next 3 days i.e. up to and including Friday 2 November it is unlikely we will be able to bring you home any sooner so please check in for your new flight as usual.’

Some buses and subway services were expected to restart today.

Amtrak says it plans to restore some service on Friday to and from New York City with the continual removal of water from flooded train tunnels under the Hudson and East rivers, allowing repairs to tracks, signals and power systems. They plan to announce these schedules sometime today.

Service to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey has been restored, but Northeast Regional service between Newark and New Haven, Connecticut, and Acela Express service for the length of the Northeast Corridor are cancelled today.

American Airlines spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said of their LaGuardia Airport base: 'There is some damage to our offices and facilities.

‘It's not pretty, but we can operate.

‘Our employees are cleaning up for our customers.'

Airline employees will also face challenges getting to work.

Not only is mass transit severely restricted, but driving in will be more difficult.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday that only cars with at least three passengers would be allowed to cross a bridge or enter a tunnel.

Southwest spokesman Paul Flaningan said yesterday: 'There are a lot of contingencies before we can re-open at LaGuardia.

'It's still barricaded at the front entrance, which makes drop-offs from taxis and buses difficult.'

Travel in the Northeast creaked back into motion yesterday, allowing workers to check runways and railroad tracks for water damage.

It was a grinding, patchy recovery that made it clear that stranded travellers will struggle to get around for days to come.

Airlines continued to waive fees to change tickets for flights to New York airports.

Delta and United said that anyone who planned to fly there through Saturday could change their ticket.

However, the re-booked travel still had to begin by Nov. 9, giving travellers a relatively narrow window to make their trip.

American's waiver was broader, covering New York tickets through Nov. 7, and allowing rebooked travel through Dec. 20.

Airports in Washington and Philadelphia re-opened on Tuesday.

The loss of East Coast flights has stranded tourists in New York and kept travellers stuck in Hong Kong. The lack of trains left suburban commuters without a way into work.

 

To:

Bcc:

Your email address:

Message: