Turtles on Runway Cause Airport Slowdown

[Kris G.]

Travelers were delayed at John F. Kennedy Airport Wednesday morning after about 100 turtles ambled onto a runway and blocked air traffic from moving.

JetBlue first tweeted news of the slowdown, with the hashtag #cantmakethisup.

The Port Authority later confirmed that workers had to clear the notoriously slow reptiles out of the area.

The turtles were mostly gathered on runway 4L, the Port Authority said.

There was no immediate word on what type of turtles they were, but if they were snapping turtles, perhaps they felt they had official clearance -- the snapping turtle was named the New York state reptile in 2006.

The runway turtles aren't the first animals to complicate air traffic at New York City airports.

The city has sought to reduce the local geese population in recent years, following the crash of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, which sucked geese into its engines and had to land in the Hudson River.

Posted Wednesday, Jun 29, 2011 - 11:01 AM EDT  331744

[Shaky]

Were the turtles landing or taking off?

[Annette]

Were the turtles landing or taking off?

[Dumpsterkitty]

Were the turtles landing or taking off?

They were just taxiing along... 

[Wing Goose]

You guys are all so cute!
               
               Lola
               

[Kris G.]

Were the turtles landing or taking off?

This explains where they were headed: 

NEW YORK | Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:20pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport were delayed shortly on Wednesday when about 150 diamondback terrapin turtles were spotted crossing a runway, authorities said.

The reptiles were trying to get to the other side of the runway to lay eggs on the sandy shores of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, which borders the airport.

Ron Marsico, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees operation of the region's airports, pilots from Jet Blue and other airlines halted their flights to let the expectant reptiles pass.

"Flight delays attributed to turtles were minor, about 15 minutes or so," he said.

Port Authority staff rushed out to the tarmac where, between takeoffs and landings, they scooped up the turtles and helped them on their way.

Naturalists said the 185-acre Jamaica Bay may be the diamondback's most popular breeding ground in North America.

"It happens every year at about this time. It's the great migration, and this is the peak of the season," he said.

Flights were rerouted to another runway, as waves of turtles pressed on with their march to the bay.

"At one point, we decided to heed Mother Nature and use other runways. This is not impacting flights," Marsico said.

 

[jeanne]

"They" are on twitter 

http://mashable.com/2011/06/29/jfk-turtles-twitter/

[valhalla]

Love it!

[Paul Hamilton]

"Flight delays attributed to turtles were minor..."

That has certainly been my experience

Paul

[valhalla]

"Flight delays attributed to turtles were minor..."

That has certainly been my experience

Paul