Airlines Fly In Aid, Fly Out Refugees
More than a dozen commercial airlines began humanitarian flights from New Orleans on Friday to ferry 25,000 of the storm-ravaged city’s residents to neighboring states under a plan coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security and the airlines’ trade association.
The New Orleans airport has been closed and has had no electricity since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on Monday morning, but the airlines began arriving during daylight with supplies and law enforcement officials before flying storm refugees from the region.
James C. May, president of the Air Transport Assn., called the volunteer plan -- named Operation Air Care -- an unprecedented effort by airlines to move civilians in need.
The plan was crafted Thursday night, and Delta Air Lines flew the first flight to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Friday morning. The airlines are transporting passengers to sites designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
Airlines participating include Alaska, America West, American, ATA, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, Southwest, United, US Airways and Air Canada. Cargo carriers providing support are ASTAR Air Cargo, Federal Express and UPS Airlines.
AirTran Airways has joined with two radio stations to bring donated supplies to the Gulfport-Biloxi airport in Mississippi.
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