weird papal question?

[suedisney]

Is anyone flying out of JFK in NY or PHL in Phila on one of the days the pope will be coming in/out of your airport? We are scheduled to leave Sat am at 6am and he keep hearing conflicting reports on when he'll be coming in, if theyll close airport for a while,etc. Last we heard was that he was due into Phila on Sat am at 9:30, so we'd already be in the air on our way to sunny Orlando, but of course today, we heard he may be arriving Friday night now....so confused.

 

[wilkeliza]

Is anyone flying out of JFK in NY or PHL in Phila on one of the days the pope will be coming in/out of your airport? We are scheduled to leave Sat am at 6am and he keep hearing conflicting reports on when he'll be coming in, if theyll close airport for a while,etc. Last we heard was that he was due into Phila on Sat am at 9:30, so we'd already be in the air on our way to sunny Orlando, but of course today, we heard he may be arriving Friday night now....so confused.

I don't think anyone will get a specific answer. They don't want that information out so that no one will be able to plan any thing at the airport. There are too many wackos to let the exact time out.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I've been stuck in a "closed" airport while Air Force One was taking off/landing. If I'm not mistaken, they close the airspace around the airport, but the closures don't last long (maybe an hour or so on each side of the window). If the Pope flies in Friday night, you'll be all clear for Saturday. I'd also guess that as long as your flight leaves on time on Saturday, you'll be fine then as well.

 

[amcnj]

One thing I read said he would be leaving JFK airport in NY for Philadelphia 8:40 AM on Saturday September 26. Hopefully that holds true and you are on your way before any complications. But I did read another release that just said he would be in Philadelphia by Saturday morning. Good luck!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

What I keep hearing at work is that he arrives Saturday morning but road closures start Friday night. If he were arriving Friday night they would have closed roads starting Thursday night which was originally planned but changed to Friday about a month ago.

 

[ArielRae]

Here is link to our local news station with all the papal info for Philadelphia.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/top-lists/guide-to-the-papal-visit/


Papal schedule from the news site -

Saturday, September 26
8:40 a.m. Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport
9:30 a.m. Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia
10:30 a.m. Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia
4:45 p.m. Visit to Independence Mall
7:30 p.m. Visit to the Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Sunday, September 27
9:15 a.m. Meeting with bishops at at St. Martin’s Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
11:00 a.m. Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility
4:00 p.m. Mass for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
7:00 p.m. Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families, Atlantic Aviation
8:00 p.m. Departure for Rome

 

[Marionnette]

What I keep hearing at work is that he arrives Saturday morning but road closures start Friday night. If he were arriving Friday night they would have closed roads starting Thursday night which was originally planned but changed to Friday about a month ago.

Road and BRIDGE closures will begin around 10 PM on Friday night. It's going to be a traffic mess in the area.
http://6abc.com/religion/major-highways-to-close-later-this-week-for-papal-visit/904413/

 

[mi*vida*loca]

This is his itinerary for Saturday.

Philadelphia:
Sept. 26: 8:30 a.m. Travel to Philly
10 a.m. Mass at Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul
4 p.m. Papal Address at Independence Mall
6 p.m. Festival of Families at Ben Franklin Pkwy.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Road and BRIDGE closures will begin around 10 PM on Friday night. It's going to be a traffic mess in the area.
http://6abc.com/religion/major-highways-to-close-later-this-week-for-papal-visit/904413/

Yup. I work right by the bridges in NJ. Our area is the "parking lot for the pope." I work for a university hospital (outpatient) and we aren't opening Monday until 1 pm due to bridge closures. And everyone that lives in Philadelphia already took the day off. It's going to a nightmare.

My children go to their dad's house in Philly on the weekends. They aren't going that weekend due to bridge closures.

Even some NJ highways are closing. One direct road to my job is closing. You can only get through with badges showing you work downtown.

We have a whole task team committed to this. I can't wait until it's over.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Its seriously going to be a mess no matter how you look at it. Traffic is just going to suck. We live in Central NJ and they have signs all over our major highways that basically say traffic is going to suck and give yourself extra time. My husband works close to NY and he said hes working from home thursday and friday because hes not dealing with trying to get into work with all this stuff going on. Good luck on your travels! Hope everything works out, lol...you can think about all us midatlanticers dealing with all this traffic messes when you are on the plane going to sunny paradise, LOL

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

It's especially lousy for those in NY because his arrival coincides with the United Nations General Assembly, so world leaders are flying in to the surrounding airports all week and drivign around for the next 10 days or so.

 

[Rhombus]

We're scheduled to leave PHL about 830pm Friday evening. Yep, there are all kinds of scare stories about how awful traffic will be. Just to be safe, we plan on getting to the airport no later than 4pm.

DD's college classes are cancelled for Friday 25 and Monday 28.

 

[JZCubed]

Is anyone flying out of JFK in NY or PHL in Phila on one of the days the pope will be coming in/out of your airport? We are scheduled to leave Sat am at 6am and he keep hearing conflicting reports on when he'll be coming in, if theyll close airport for a while,etc. Last we heard was that he was due into Phila on Sat am at 9:30, so we'd already be in the air on our way to sunny Orlando, but of course today, we heard he may be arriving Friday night now....so confused.

If you are 'hearing' or 'reading' reports about security surrounding the Papal visit and/or if/when/how other world dignitaries are traveling into/out of regional airports - they are lies.

The only 'good' information that you might receive is to avoid any airport in that region for the day before, during, and after such visits.

But if you want some clues - most of these planes do not fly into the commercial airports. These dignitaries typically fly into places like National Guard / Air Force facilities and are then whisked into NYC (or other cities) via helicopter. The airports are too crowded, bridges and tunnels are too dangerous, and creating absolute gridlock for these motorcades is additionally problematic.

These are atypical security measures, and with extremely few exceptions, folks will not know what is happening until they are instantly stopped and stuck until those controlling the flow of traffic (in air, on sea, on roads, through tunnels, etc.) give the green light to proceed. For instance, all traffic across bridges to Manhattan is halted while these helicopters are nearby. You will not be given any warning until you are at a complete standstill. And just because you are stuck in traffic at one spot does not mean that any dignitary is actually nearby - that's how good security is developed.

If I said I 'know' this is fact - I'd be lying just as much as anything you 'read' or 'heard'.

The irony, since many people will avoid the general vicinity during these days, traffic will likely move more smoothly than on a typical day - once you are able to proceed.

My insight comes from living a few blocks from the United Nations for over 25 years.