Within less than 24 hours, people and equipment were sent to the hurricane-stricken region to open airports for relief missions. Within less than 72 hours, all airports were open. Only New Orleans Lakefront Airport remains closed because it is still under water.
FAA employees supported the largest airlift operation on United States soil, Operation Air Care. From Friday, September 2 through Monday, September 5, more than 200 civilian and military aircraft safely evacuated nearly 20,000 people, while bringing in much needed relief supplies.
Also over the Labor Day weekend, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport became one of the nation’s top five busiest airports as employees safely handled 3,300 flights per day; quadruple the normal air traffic levels.
People continue to work around the clock to staff air traffic facilities, repair navigational aids and infrastructure, and provide safety oversight to support ongoing evacuation and relief efforts.
On-site workers are being augmented and relieved with people from around the country.
Mobile generators and communications equipment continue to arrive from facilities around the country. People are working with airports and fuel suppliers to ensure affected airports have available fuel to sustain operations.
New Orleans, LA
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International airport and one runway were opened for operations less than 24 hours following Hurricane Katrina.
Two runways opened within 48 hours. People worked with the military to install temporary runway, taxiway and ramp lighting.
In order to expedite the reopening of the airport, more than 50 air traffic controllers and technicians were immediately dispatched to aid those controllers and technicians who rode out the storm at the tower and TRACON.
Coordinated recovery efforts with other southwestern and southeastern airports to provide technicians, infrastructure experts, ground workers and firefighters to assess damage, assist with immediate repairs and support operations.
Coordinated with airlines to provide ground and ramp workers to expedite the unloading and turnaround of evacuation and supply aircraft.
A temporary tower, mobile generators, satellite communications and temporary lighting were deployed and installed to the support largest airlift on United States soil. The current arrival rate is 15 aircraft per hour, plus up to 150 helicopter operations at any hour from daylight to dusk.
Air traffic control supported by Houston Center and military surveillance aircraft. In less than one week, full approach control and instrument flight rules capability have been restored to the facility.
Gulfport — Biloxi, MS
The airport opened one runway within less than 48 hours to handle relief missions.
In one week, both airport runways were opened, with both the air traffic control tower and TRACON navigational equipment restored and fully operational to support instrument operations.
The current aircraft arrival rate is 15 aircraft per hour.
Stennis International, MS The airport is operating visual flight rules (VFR) relief mission flights only. A temporary tower is operated by DOD.
