Tornado warnings and planes

[lya]

I flew into Chicago today. When we landed, lightening was sighted so the ground crew had to take shelter. As a result, we were stuck on the tarmac. When I turned on my phone, I got a notification that there was a tornado warning in effect for the area. I alerted the flight attendant who in turn asked the captain about it. The captain then made an announcement that the plane was a safe place to be in the event of a tornado. We sat on the tarmac during a tornado warning for 20 min. We then de-boarded (while the warning was stiff in effect) when the ground crew returned. We went inside to find the concourses evacuating. By the time we got to the designated shelter area, the warning as almost over. We all spent 35 out of about 40 min of tornado warning in a plane or in a building with walls and ceilings made of glass. I felt very unsafe during the whole process. Does anyone have any perspective on this? Is this normal operating procedure? Should this have been dealt with differently?

TIA

[heygrey]

I'm not sure of standard operating procedure, but I'm not sure what else they would do in that situation. It just kind of sucks all around.

[schrodinger]

Its probably not the safest place to be, but its not like they're going to launch the plane and get out of there. Its safer for a plane to be on the ground during stormy weather/high winds than up in the air. What would you have preferred that they do?

[cjeanette]

I don't think taking cover for every tornado warning would be normal operating procedure. Unless sirens were going off I have never been in a situation where it wasn't business as normal.

[lya]

I guess I would have preferred to get off of the plane and into an actual shelter much earlier. And I didn't appreciate the Captain's tone of voice when making the announcement. It was very condescending and he was trying to make it seem like the plane was indestructible and that we would have plenty of time to maneuver out of the way of a tornado. It just really didn't make me feel very safe.

[lya]

I guess I should add that they were evacuating the terminal, but leaving us outside in the plane at the same time.

[Balki.Bartokomous]

Honestly, I'd probably feel safer on a plane than in the concourse, and I do not think that the ground crew should have to be outside risking their lives just to get you from one shelter to another.

[cjeanette]

www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/chicago-stlouis-airport-weather-120539109.html

Googled tornado in an airplane to see. Found this. Makes me think the plane was the better option.

[lya]

There was a proper underground shelter area in the airport. They were evacuating the concourse area when we finally got inside and off of the plane. I agree that the ground crew shouldn't have been outside in the tornado warning - but they were anyway. Also, in an emergency, a ground crew is not required to deboard a plane in a hurry and have everyone leave their stuff on the plane and make their way inside the underground shelter.

I don't know, I guess I am over-reacting. I think I was feeling trapped and was on the verge of a panic attack. Thanks for the perspective, ladies!

[Deleted]

Oct 14, 2012 19:35:23 GMT -5 lya said:

I guess I would have preferred to get off of the plane and into an actual shelter much earlier. And I didn't appreciate the Captain's tone of voice when making the announcement. It was very condescending and he was trying to make it seem like the plane was indestructible and that we would have plenty of time to maneuver out of the way of a tornado. It just really didn't make me feel very safe.

Of course you would have preferred to get off the plane but it is irrational for you to expect the ground crew to be OUTSIDE in a tornado warning so that you can de-plane. I think they did the best they could.

[AAM2012]

I don't think they could have gotten you off the plane because of lightning. The ramps that they use to connect to the plane ate made of metal which is why you sat on the runway.

Edit: I totally agree it's a scary situation and I've been on a plane that was landing in horrible rain with a hurricane warning and tornado nearby. It is very very scary!

[vanillacourage]

Oct 14, 2012 19:48:37 GMT -5 lya said:

, in an emergency, a ground crew is not required to deboard a plane in a hurry and have everyone leave their stuff on the plane and make their way inside the underground shelter.!

But the ground crew helps the plane pull up to the gate the perfect amount so the door to exit lines up with the jetway. So yes, even in a hurry up emergency I think people would still have to be outside.

[hesitantbride]

In my experience, tornado warnings that last for 40 min are not unusual, especially when an entire county (that might be large) is warned.

OP, I would have been very scared like you, and I am from Kansas. I agree that they should have taken you off, but perhaps it was the safest option to have you in cover (even if on a plane). And even if the county were warned, perhaps the tower was closely looking at weather radar and could tell if the tornado-producing cell was an immediate threat to the airport.

I flew back to Kansas one afternoon and there was a funnel cloud that we flew right by as we landed. Luckily (I guess), it was a cold-weather spout, but I was freaked out all the same.

Sorry you had that experience today

[lya]

Is there no way into the airport other than the jetway? If not, then I agree with you all. I guess I figured there would be another entrance, like the one the ground crews use or something. I, in no way, wanted any one outside. The fact that they were (its how we were de-boarded in the middle of the warning) furthered my feeling that they weren't taking the warning seriously.

As to the length of the warning, I received the warning on my phone at 2:20pm, and it lasted until 3pm.

Like I said above, I understand now I was overreacting and panicking.

[schrodinger]

Oct 14, 2012 20:46:59 GMT -5 lya said:

Is there no way into the airport other than the jetway? If not, then I agree with you all. I guess I figured there would be another entrance, like the one the ground crews use or something. I, in no way, wanted any one outside. The fact that they were (its how we were de-boarded in the middle of the warning) furthered my feeling that they weren't taking the warning seriously.

As to the length of the warning, I received the warning on my phone at 2:20pm, and it lasted until 3pm.

Like I said above, I understand now I was overreacting and panicking.

But the risks the passengers in the terminal face are very different than the risks to passengers on a plane. Terminals = lots of flying glass if a tornado strikes. So, getting them to a safer spot makes sense to me. A plane feels like it offers some protection to flying debris and high winds. Sorry the captain didn't give you a warm fuzzy about the situation, but its highly likely that they didn't know much more than you.

[Deleted]

Oct 14, 2012 20:36:28 GMT -5 @mx said:

Was there really a tornado warning for 40 minutes? That's seems unusual. The last one I was in (about 3 weeks ago) lasted for 7 minutes total and only 2 minutes for my immediate area. I don't think I've ever seen one longer than 20 mins.

In that situation you have to trust the pilot to do what is in the interest of your safety. Just because there is a tornado warning does not mean there is a tornado on the ground bearing down on your plane. And in an environment with extensive lightening (which there was at ORD--my brother was also on the Tarmac and texted me about it) it is not safe to have people out there. When I've been evacuated from terminals (twice) it has been due to lightening threats.

40 minutes seems normal to me--I've been through quite a few warnings and they often last an hour or a little less. When the right conditions are present and tornadoes are sighted, there can be many that can form over a period of time.

[Here]

Eh...I'm from a part of the country that sees a lot of tornados. I don't seek shelter every time there is a tornado warning, only when a tornado has been spotted or the radar shows there might be one and it is heading my way.

[Balki.Bartokomous]

Oct 14, 2012 23:28:22 GMT -5 Here said:

Eh...I'm from a part of the country that sees a lot of tornados. I don't seek shelter every time there is a tornado warning, only when a tornado has been spotted or the radar shows there might be one and it is heading my way.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure that a tornado warning means one has been spotted or has been denoted on radar. A watch just means that conditions are right for a tornado.

ETA: www.weather.com/newscenter/specialtopics/slideshows/TCindex_2.html?page=2&scheme=image-horiz-plain.css

[Here]

Oct 15, 2012 0:05:17 GMT -5 Balki.Bartokomous said:

Oct 14, 2012 23:28:22 GMT -5 Here said:

Eh...I'm from a part of the country that sees a lot of tornados. I don't seek shelter every time there is a tornado warning, only when a tornado has been spotted or the radar shows there might be one and it is heading my way.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure that a tornado warning means one has been spotted or has been denoted on radar. A watch just means that conditions are right for a tornado.

ETA: www.weather.com/newscenter/specialtopics/slideshows/TCindex_2.html?page=2&scheme=image-horiz-plain.css

Yes, but my key phrase is headed my way.

That said, I was traveling in Ohio and a tornado hit a town ten miles south of us. No TV coverage other than the small map indicating a warning. They never cut in with the weatherman covering the storm. I rely more on storm trackers here than just a warning issued for the county.

I read an article about the St Louis tornado/storm and an airplane might get push around but it is not going to fly into the tornado and get mangled. It seems safer than trying to deboard a plane and shuffle through a terminal with glass windows.

[runblondie26]

Normal operating procedure. I'm sure the pilots got a good chuckle out of a passenger informing them about the weather.