Jet Blue's Flight path for this Sat, Oct 8th

So, the forecasted "spaghetti models" show Matthew going out to sea, heading toward Nova Scotia by the 9th or 10th of October after passing by the Carolina's or grazing them. We're supposed to leave for SXM on Oct 8. from Boston's Logan Airport. I know from watching the plane on the little screen behind the chairs that they provide in-flight, that the plane takes a southwest path down the east coast and then makes a break for it somewhere around the georgia area, or possibly even the Carolinas. I don't recall, actually. If there are no wind gust at Logan and Flight 77 actually gets to take off, can they fly further inland to avoid the hurricane? and then loop around it and also avoid the storm's more dangerous NW quadrant on the plane's way across the sea to SXM? I figure someone here MUST have had a similar experience and can give some guidance. Thanks in advance for indulging my anxiety-ridden question.

DAvid...usually routes can be changed due to storm. A few weeks ago, we were flying from Los Angeles back to Miami.....it was during that last storm.....and instead of going through the gulf...the route changed by staying on the southern coast...going across the state of florida...and coming down the east coast......it added an extra hour of flight time....but we avoided the storm by around 1000 miles or so. They won't fly through a storm...

Thanks for the cogent answer. much appreciated. Sometimes I'm apprehensive about posting questions here because invariably someone will post a snarky response. Granted, such responses are not the norm, and this forum has and always will be my go-to place for timely info on everything SXM.

David,
The FAA has a facility in Warrenton Virginia called the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC). There are air traffic controlers, meteorologists, and airline representatives there (among others). These men and women work 24 hours a day, evaluating traffic levels, airport and route capacity, and weather events. When storms disrupt the airline preferred flight paths, the ATCSCC coordinates and assigns alternate routes. This is discussed on a telecon every 2 hours with all the pertinent people. The users (airlines) can than plan for these new routes and adjust theirs plans (such as fuel on board, extra enroute time, etc) So, have no fear, plans a, b, c, etc are already being considered and ready to be implemented. One thing to be aware of is that some reroutes add significant additional mileage to some trips. This extra time can disrupt schedules or in some cases even make it unfeasable for an operator to fly a particular flight. So stay in touch with your airline for schedule changes, be flexible and understanding of busy employees, but be confident that your route will be safe.

Thankyou very much, CptnCook.

Agreed, thanks for the good information.

Very good information, and a reminder of how weather can indeed be a factor in flight delays and cancellations, even though the weather in your departure and destination cities may be perfect. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Agreed and also confirmation as to why weather delays and related expenses are not the fault or responsibility of the airlines.

When we flew out of Miami during Hurricane Sandy, we flew over it just about the entire time until a few hundred miles away from SXM. If I believe correctly, we were at 37k feet, with no wind or any turbulence issues to speak of...

Weather occurs in the troposphere, which extends up to 65,000 feet (flight level 650) and tropical thunderstorms can hit the top of this layer - while commercial jets cannot. This means that jetliners cannot always fly over storms, and hurricanes in the mid latitudes will reach 50,000 feet. The height of the turbulent layer will get lower the further away from the center you are, but certainly no flight path will be routed towards the eye unless you happen to be aboard a Lockheed WP-3D Orion (nicknamed "hurricane hunters").

2 P3s operated by NOAA along with a G4. USAFR operates 10 C130Js on this mission out of Biloxi.

Shows how out-of-date I am, I thought that USAF was also using P-3s.
But regardless of the aircraft type, I wouldn't want to get stuck on top of a storm like that! My worst weather experiences were in gliders, either getting stuck under a nice cumulus which then changed to a Cb or once at 27K in mountain wave over Utah which turned turbulent.
The aviation weather centre currently shows "severe" turbulence off the Florida coast at 37K feet.

Everything is a go! SXM by 3:28pm.

Currently at 35k arriving at 3:12pm....