Just to give an idea of what the delays were like

**mirrodie** · 2008-07-29, 01:43 PM

Recently, I took a shot of some insane delays at JFK. But I was only able to show a small aspect of the whole picture.
Thanks to Tom Luniewski, I've used his image to show the breadth of the delays that I witnessed.

Now this was on day with storms inbound. I couldnt imagine how much worse it was this last Sunday evening though!

It still blows my mind
http://www.airliners.net/uf/view.file?i ... XhiuZU.jpg

**kc2aqg** · 2008-07-30, 09:44 AM

Hey Mario, I saw your picture from June 13 showing that LONG lineup of departures for 22R. What time were you out that day? I had landed at JFK on DL136 from CVG (ex-TWA 757) around 8 PM that Friday and we waited about 30 minutes or so to cross 22R to get to the gate. They just kept sending off departures and letting the lineup of arrivals off of 22L build on the other side of 22R. Just curious if you were there at the same time or earlier.

I've also been one to wait on that long wrap-around line, which sometimes goes onto 13L and 13R for 22R departures...not fun...

**mirrodie** · 2008-07-30, 03:42 PM

I probably would have seen you...

BUT....

I was out there on 13 JULY. Check your dates. By the time 1930 came around, the sun was tucking behind the clouds so I was taking a lot of stills. I'll see if I have you coming in.

I know that at 1930,-2000, I saw a few inbound DLs coming in behind us and I probably saw you but didnt lift the lens up since it was not terribly light at the time.

**ManniGee** · 2008-07-31, 07:38 AM

Hi !

I am a german tower controller...can anybody tell me why the jfk controllers chose such a horrible long taxi procedure ? Where all the others twys blocked or what happened ?

take care

Manni

**moose135** · 2008-07-31, 08:37 AM

No, Manni, it's just that when you have 60 or 80 aircraft waiting to depart, you have to line them up somewhere. It's not that they chose to route individual aircraft along that long path, that's where the departure line up ended up stretching.

**ManniGee** · 2008-07-31, 09:47 AM

Hi !

Ah...ok, I guess, that's a bit different here in Europe than in the states.

Manni

**adam613** · 2008-07-31, 10:32 AM

Interestingly, JFK's outer/inner loop taxiway layout seems to be optimized for these long lines of planes waiting to depart...

**T-Bird76** · 2008-07-31, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by adam613

Interestingly, JFK's outer/inner loop taxiway layout seems to be optimized for these long lines of planes waiting to depart...

BINGO, and they are about to start work on a new taxi way along 31R just for that sole purpose.

**ManniGee** · 2008-07-31, 12:22 PM

Hi !

But doesn't it making more sense to let them wait at the gate with shut off engines, let them start up one after another and to give them then a shorter taxiroute ? Specially at those fuel prices those long taxi procedures all painful costs for the airlines. Or all those gates gates needed permanently ?

**Smartass Flyboy** · 2008-07-31, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by ManniGee

Hi !
Or all those gates gates needed permanently ?

Exactly. On a day like, let's say Sunday, or the date the pictured was taken if all those aircraft were kept on the gate we'd have no place to park the arrivals. Al that would change is that line you saw would be the arrivals waiting for gates to open at their respective terminals.