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CNN Live At Daybreak

Eye on the Sky: Air Travel Delays

Aired September 03, 2003 - 06:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well Travelocity's Air Traffic Expert Rally Caparas is here with a look at the delays or a lot of on- time schedules. No, it's mostly delays.
RALLY CAPARAS, AIR TRAFFIC SPECIALIST, TRAVELOCITY.COM: It's been terrible in the northeast -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes, stinky (ph) weather.

CAPARAS: You know New York, Philadelphia, the D.C. Metros, they have seen nothing but terrible weather for the last seven days or so and lots of delays as a result. And today it's not going to be any different, folks.

If you are headed into or out of the major airports, let's just call it Newark and LaGuardia airports in New York City today, you can expect 60-minute arrival and departure delays. There will be plenty of low clouds, lots of obscured visibility from the rain and then later on there will be thunderstorm activity limiting flight routes into and out of those airports. At that point this afternoon, you can throw JFK into the mix. Expect hour-long delays into and out of those three major airports throughout the day today.

Philadelphia and the D.C. Metros a little further south, you'll see 45 to 60-minute arrival and departure delays first this morning because of low clouds and fog, obscured visibility. The pilots need to be IFR. Too long to explain, but it causes more spacing in between airplanes. And then later on, the thunderstorms will block routes into and out of the mid-Atlantic causing delays there once again.

Atlanta and Charlotte this morning, delay free. It will stay that way until later on and then we'll see some clouds build here. Thunderstorm activity limiting flight routes. About 30 to 45-minute arrival and departure delays as a result.

Down in the state of Florida, the entire state, all the major airports there, once again later this afternoon we'll see seasonal thunderstorm activity and that means 30 to 45-minute arrival and departure delays as a result.

Now here's a new one for you. If you are departing from anywhere on the East Coast headed to South America today, you can expect about a 60-minute delay. One of the major radar systems and navigational aids that bring you to and from South America is out of service. There's going to be major rerouting. Expect lengthy delays as a result. And then you need to go all the way out to the West Coast, San Francisco International will see 30 to 45-minute arrival delays because of the marine layer fog that will burn off by noon Pacific Time and then you will have on-time schedules thereafter.

Overall, once again, a slow day in the east, an excellent day in the west. I'll be back tomorrow morning with more of my "Eye on the Sky" -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, I guess the folks in the northeast who are traveling in the northeast are going to have to take the train today.

CAPARAS: Well, it would be a good idea.

WHITFIELD: Yes, forget the plane travel.

All right. Thanks a lot. See you tomorrow.

CAPARAS: Sure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com








Aired September 3, 2003 - 06:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well Travelocity's Air Traffic Expert Rally Caparas is here with a look at the delays or a lot of on- time schedules. No, it's mostly delays.
RALLY CAPARAS, AIR TRAFFIC SPECIALIST, TRAVELOCITY.COM: It's been terrible in the northeast -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes, stinky (ph) weather.

CAPARAS: You know New York, Philadelphia, the D.C. Metros, they have seen nothing but terrible weather for the last seven days or so and lots of delays as a result. And today it's not going to be any different, folks.

If you are headed into or out of the major airports, let's just call it Newark and LaGuardia airports in New York City today, you can expect 60-minute arrival and departure delays. There will be plenty of low clouds, lots of obscured visibility from the rain and then later on there will be thunderstorm activity limiting flight routes into and out of those airports. At that point this afternoon, you can throw JFK into the mix. Expect hour-long delays into and out of those three major airports throughout the day today.

Philadelphia and the D.C. Metros a little further south, you'll see 45 to 60-minute arrival and departure delays first this morning because of low clouds and fog, obscured visibility. The pilots need to be IFR. Too long to explain, but it causes more spacing in between airplanes. And then later on, the thunderstorms will block routes into and out of the mid-Atlantic causing delays there once again.

Atlanta and Charlotte this morning, delay free. It will stay that way until later on and then we'll see some clouds build here. Thunderstorm activity limiting flight routes. About 30 to 45-minute arrival and departure delays as a result.

Down in the state of Florida, the entire state, all the major airports there, once again later this afternoon we'll see seasonal thunderstorm activity and that means 30 to 45-minute arrival and departure delays as a result.

Now here's a new one for you. If you are departing from anywhere on the East Coast headed to South America today, you can expect about a 60-minute delay. One of the major radar systems and navigational aids that bring you to and from South America is out of service. There's going to be major rerouting. Expect lengthy delays as a result. And then you need to go all the way out to the West Coast, San Francisco International will see 30 to 45-minute arrival delays because of the marine layer fog that will burn off by noon Pacific Time and then you will have on-time schedules thereafter.

Overall, once again, a slow day in the east, an excellent day in the west. I'll be back tomorrow morning with more of my "Eye on the Sky" -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, I guess the folks in the northeast who are traveling in the northeast are going to have to take the train today.

CAPARAS: Well, it would be a good idea.

WHITFIELD: Yes, forget the plane travel.

All right. Thanks a lot. See you tomorrow.

CAPARAS: Sure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com