Travelers faced a second day of aviation chaos on Friday, triggered by a historic North American power blackout that forced airlines to cancel hundreds of flights and could cost the industry tens of millions of dollars.
Airlines canceled at least 1,200 flights on Friday, many destined for stricken US and Canadian airports in New York, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto and Ottawa. Air Canada temporarily suspended all flights worldwide because of a power failure at its main operations center near Toronto.
Service was limited at several major airports -- especially New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) and LaGuardia, as well as Detroit -- despite a go-ahead from the US Federal Aviation Administration to resume operations. Full power was restored at Newark, New Jersey and Cleveland airports, but service was not at full strength.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Passengers crowded terminals at JFK and LaGuardia and roadways at LaGuardia neared gridlock, the New York/New Jersey Port Authority said, warning people to avoid both airports unless they had confirmed flights or were picking up travelers.
Thousands of frustrated passengers scrambled to make new travel arrangements, with some hiring limousines to drive home or to airports with better service. Others stood in long lines and lashed out with complaints to anyone who would listen.
"I'm aggravated, frustrated, tired. I need coffee, my feet hurt," said Carlos Marolo, who drove to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport from blacked-out Detroit to try to catch a flight to the East Coast but could not find an empty seat.
The power outages caused the biggest disruption in air service not related to weather since the Sept. 11 attacks. In the wake of the attacks, US air travel demand was cut in half and airlines saw nearlyUS$20 billion in combined losses.
On top of that event, the travel industry was hit by fears of the pneumonia-like SARS virus and the war in Iraq.
A few stranded passengers at Boston's Logan International Airport resorted to hiring limousines for the 320km trek to New York at the going rate of US$200 per passenger.
"It is a big inconvenience," said Bea Burke, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, who was among those who decided to splurge.
Computer systems, bag conveyors and airport jetways operated at some airports, but not at others. Some passenger and bag screening -- automated since Sept. 11 -- had to be done manually. The blackout slowed deliveries of jet fuel to some airports, which in turn delayed flights.
Travelers seeking an alternative to flight found rail service also disrupted due to the outage. Amtrak reported limited service between Washington and New York and suspended trains on the Northeast Corridor servicing Boston.
To placate travelers, several airlines waived fees for changing plans, but rearranging itineraries was made more difficult because most large air carriers have slashed their schedules in recent months.
"You are probably looking at tens of millions of dollars of losses for the airline industry by the time this settles," said Michael Boyd, an airline industry consultant.
"You are talking about taking the most populous single area of the country and shutting down all the airports," Boyd said.
US power grid operators called this the biggest blackout in North American history.
Flight cancelations were rife, with Air Canada canceling a vast majority of more than 700 flights. American Airlines canceled 259 and its regional carrier American Eagle 93.
United Airlines cut 40 flights, US Airways halted 100, Delta Air Lines dropped 126 and Northwest Airlines canceled 174 flights.
JetBlue Airways expected to cancel 20 flights at JFK, Continental Airlines cut 11 flights and Southwest Airlines dropped 17.
It could take 36 hours for planes and crews to get back into position after the power disruptions, said Terry Trippler of Cheapseats.com.
Not knowing when or if he could fly was irritating to Jim Innes, a Canadian stranded at Chicago's O'Hare.
"This is very annoying. I'm going to miss my golf game if I don't get there on time today," Innes said.
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