High wind conditions on St. Thomas have forced several major airlines to divert flights to San Juan until conditions improve, V.I. Port Authority officials announced Friday.
While regular commuter planes have continued to land at Cyril E. King Airport, the airlines have sent their jets on to Puerto Rico. Affected flights include American Airlines Flight 481, Delta Flight 571 and U.S. Air Flight 1040, according to VIPA Executive Director Kenn Hobson. The port has not yet received a report from Spirit Airlines, but "it is assumed" that no large jets will be landing on St. Thomas until the wind settles down, he said.
"Jets cannot land at the Cyril E. King’s 7,000-foot runway at winds higher than 10 knots," Hobson explained. "Wind measurements at the airport have averaged from about 15 to 23 knots, making them unsafe to land."
Officials have attributed the gusts to Hurricane Igor, which is passing a few hundred miles to the north of the territory. Hobson said once passengers have arrived in San Juan, they would be able to take a commuter flight — which requires only 5,000 feet of runway space in order to land — back over to the territory.
All flights landing at St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, with a main runway of more than 10,000 feet, have been landing as scheduled.
