Hurricane Harvey Texas Impacts

[jis]

As of morning of Monday 8/28/17, both airports are closed till Monday evening.

United is offering no-fee no questions asked rerouting/rebooking of itineraries originally through Houston, upto the end of Thursday (8/31/17) as of Monday morning.

The problem, even after the airports reopen, will be getting enough staff to work at the airport.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Apparently WN managed to secure a special FAA waiver for emergency outbound flights from HOU to DAL for stranded passengers. First time I've heard of passenger flights being granted waivers while ferry moves remained grounded.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

OK, so I just got an e-mail from my mom who lives adjacent to the CN tracks and has been well trained (haha) to differentiate between Illinois Service and the Cono. She happened to look out at the right time and see a bilevel (well, that's every 20 minutes, a superliner set) set go by. She said that the Cono was about twice as long as it usually is and she wondered if that was flooding related. Anybody know anything else about this? Moving "orphaned" or trapped cars to be used elsewhere in the system?

 

[seat38a]

As of morning of Monday 8/28/17, both airports are closed till Monday evening.

United is offering no-fee no questions asked rerouting/rebooking of itineraries originally through Houston, upto the end of Thursday (8/31/17) as of Monday morning.

The problem, even after the airports reopen, will be getting enough staff to work at the airport.

It is now till the 9/5/2017. I just cancelled my flight to MSY via IAH which was supposed to be from 9/1-9/4. Stay tuned it seems to be getting extended daily.

 

[fairviewroad]

Apparently WN managed to secure a special FAA waiver for emergency outbound flights from HOU to DAL for stranded passengers. First time I've heard of passenger flights being granted waivers while ferry moves remained grounded.

Yeah, this was interesting and raises a lot of logistical questions. I wonder if the passengers were re-screened before the flight? Did the TSA continue to staff the HOU terminal? Was the HOU sterile area maintained?

I'm guessing the feds (and the airline) were wary of the HOU airport turning into a hellscape like the Superdome or NO Convention Center during Katrina. I mean, there surely must have been running out of ways to easily feed the stranded passengers, what with the roads being closed around there (and employees unable to come and go).

 

[AmtrakBlue]

OK, so I just got an e-mail from my mom who lives adjacent to the CN tracks and has been well trained (haha) to differentiate between Illinois Service and the Cono. She happened to look out at the right time and see a bilevel (well, that's every 20 minutes, a superliner set) set go by. She said that the Cono was about twice as long as it usually is and she wondered if that was flooding related. Anybody know anything else about this? Moving "orphaned" or trapped cars to be used elsewhere in the system?

There's a video on FB of that train. Speculation is that the extra cars are the stranded Sunset Limited consist. Maybe they moved it since Harvey's path is so sporadic (that it might cause problems for New Orleans).

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

OK, so I just got an e-mail from my mom who lives adjacent to the CN tracks and has been well trained (haha) to differentiate between Illinois Service and the Cono. She happened to look out at the right time and see a bilevel (well, that's every 20 minutes, a superliner set) set go by. She said that the Cono was about twice as long as it usually is and she wondered if that was flooding related. Anybody know anything else about this? Moving "orphaned" or trapped cars to be used elsewhere in the system?

There's a video on FB of that train. Speculation is that the extra cars are the stranded Sunset Limited consist. Maybe they moved it since Harvey's path is so sporadic (that it might cause problems for New Orleans).

It'll be interesting to hear what was behind it. I'm usually already downtown before the CONO comes through in the morning so couldn't see it.

 

[jis]

As of morning of Monday 8/28/17, both airports are closed till Monday evening.

United is offering no-fee no questions asked rerouting/rebooking of itineraries originally through Houston, upto the end of Thursday (8/31/17) as of Monday morning.

The problem, even after the airports reopen, will be getting enough staff to work at the airport.

It is now till the 9/5/2017. I just cancelled my flight to MSY via IAH which was supposed to be from 9/1-9/4. Stay tuned it seems to be getting extended daily.

As of 14:30 8/28/17, United has started outright canceling flights on Friday (9/1/17). I just managed to get rerouted via Newark instead on an IRROPs even exchange with no change fees etc. Out on 9/1 and back on 9/5 on an MCO - PTY - MCO itinerary.
I chatted with the United agent (out of Chicago) about the situation in Houston. She said almost everything in the United facilities is shut down because very few people can get to work. Among the things shut down is the Reservation Center. They are apparently trying to beef up the Chicago Center and put in something temporary at San Fran. The wait on the call was almost 40 mins.

 

[Bob Dylan]

So when POTUS puts on his Dog and Pony Show in Houston Tuesday how is he getting from IAH to downtown?Flying in a chopper? Via Airboat?

Houston is drowning just like NOL did during Katrina!

Is this trip really necessary when Officials and First Responders are so busy trying to help Millions of poor folks?

 

[jis]

Marine 1 of course.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

So when POTUS puts on his Dog and Pony Show in Houston Tuesday how is he getting from IAH to downtown?Flying in a chopper? Via Airboat?

Hot air balloon? Tweety Bird air lift? Rocket Jockey?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nailed it Chris!

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I guess Elon Musk's Presidential Hyperloop lost power and flooded?

 

[jis]

Sucking water instead of air

 

[PRR 60]

Take political comments to Random. Additional political comments here will be deleted unless directly associated with Amtrak, rail or travel.

 

[JayPea]

Take political comments to Random. Additional political comments here will be deleted unless directly associated with Amtrak, rail or travel.

Thank. You.

 

[seat38a]

Apparently WN managed to secure a special FAA waiver for emergency outbound flights from HOU to DAL for stranded passengers. First time I've heard of passenger flights being granted waivers while ferry moves remained grounded.

Yeah, this was interesting and raises a lot of logistical questions. I wonder if the passengers were re-screened before the flight? Did the TSA continue to staff the HOU terminal? Was the HOU sterile area maintained?

I'm guessing the feds (and the airline) were wary of the HOU airport turning into a hellscape like the Superdome or NO Convention Center during Katrina. I mean, there surely must have been running out of ways to easily feed the stranded passengers, what with the roads being closed around there (and employees unable to come and go).

Your curiosities can be satisfied reading this: https://thepointsguy.com/2017/08/southwest-houston-airlifts-500-pax/

 

[Rover]

As of morning of Monday 8/28/17, both airports are closed till Monday evening.

United is offering no-fee no questions asked rerouting/rebooking of itineraries originally through Houston, upto the end of Thursday (8/31/17) as of Monday morning.

The problem, even after the airports reopen, will be getting enough staff to work at the airport.

It is now till the 9/5/2017. I just cancelled my flight to MSY via IAH which was supposed to be from 9/1-9/4. Stay tuned it seems to be getting extended daily.

As of 14:30 8/28/17, United has started outright canceling flights on Friday (9/1/17). I just managed to get rerouted via Newark instead on an IRROPs even exchange with no change fees etc. Out on 9/1 and back on 9/5 on an MCO - PTY - MCO itinerary.
I chatted with the United agent (out of Chicago) about the situation in Houston. She said almost everything in the United facilities is shut down because very few people can get to work. Among the things shut down is the Reservation Center. They are apparently trying to beef up the Chicago Center and put in something temporary at San Fran. The wait on the call was almost 40 mins.

Hobby and IAH will be closed until sometime Thursday, except for humanitarian and first responder flights. I don't have the link but you can check twitter or FB for more details...

 

[Rover]

So when POTUS puts on his Dog and Pony Show in Houston Tuesday how is he getting from IAH to downtown?Flying in a chopper? Via Airboat?

Houston is drowning just like NOL did during Katrina!

Is this trip really necessary when Officials and First Responders are so busy trying to help Millions of poor folks?

Easy there Dylan, the POTUS is visiting Corpus and San Antonio (I think), but won't be traveling to Houston, although he may be flown over the city.

It's not like NO, but I think you were joking... So far, I haven't seen, thankfully, houses submerged, but the section they were in, a rich section that was flooded, had most of the two-story homes first floors covered...

 

[Rover]

What the Houston flooding is bringing in....

 

[Agent]

Video by YouTube user Rod's Racers of the extra-long City of New Orleans mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

[jis]

As of morning of Monday 8/28/17, both airports are closed till Monday evening.

United is offering no-fee no questions asked rerouting/rebooking of itineraries originally through Houston, upto the end of Thursday (8/31/17) as of Monday morning.

The problem, even after the airports reopen, will be getting enough staff to work at the airport.

It is now till the 9/5/2017. I just cancelled my flight to MSY via IAH which was supposed to be from 9/1-9/4. Stay tuned it seems to be getting extended daily.

As of 14:30 8/28/17, United has started outright canceling flights on Friday (9/1/17). I just managed to get rerouted via Newark instead on an IRROPs even exchange with no change fees etc. Out on 9/1 and back on 9/5 on an MCO - PTY - MCO itinerary.
I chatted with the United agent (out of Chicago) about the situation in Houston. She said almost everything in the United facilities is shut down because very few people can get to work. Among the things shut down is the Reservation Center. They are apparently trying to beef up the Chicago Center and put in something temporary at San Fran. The wait on the call was almost 40 mins.

Hobby and IAH will be closed until sometime Thursday, except for humanitarian and first responder flights. I don't have the link but you can check twitter or FB for more details...

Actually my immediate interest in the status of Houston area airports diminished considerably as soon as I got my itinerary rerouted through Newark after United canceled both my flights through Houston on Friday and also offered to reroute my return trip via Newark on Tuesday next week.

 

[Train2104]

Amtrak is now reporting Sunset will run LAX-SAS and the Eagle will run CHI-FTW with buses to SAS.

Anyone know what's blocking through service? If SAS is OK for operation, north of it shouldn't be worse.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Amtrak is now reporting Sunset will run LAX-SAS and the Eagle will run CHI-FTW with buses to SAS. Anyone know what's blocking through service? If SAS is OK for operation, north of it shouldn't be worse.

Austin and other parts North got it worse than we did in San Antonio due to the rotation of the storm. The tracks heading North from San Antonio are also heading East which again puts them deeper into the storm. This time around San Antonio was right on the dividing line so tracks West of us didn't see much precipitation while tracks North and East of us were slammed with heavy rain.

 

[frequentflyer]

I imagine soon, Amtrak will run TE to SAT and continue from there to LAX on the SL schedule. SAT to NOL will be out for a while.