In the face of a category 5 hurricane, Delta Air Lines meteorologists, dispatchers, pilots, cabin crew, and ground crew accomplished an incredible feat on Wednesday. As Hurricane Irma bore down San Juan, Puerto Rico, Delta sent one last flight to help evacuate a few hundred people from San Juan just before the airport closed.



Other airlines also launched flights on Wednesday morning, but those either arrived in San Juan as the winds were too strong to land or turned back before reaching Puerto Rico.

Delta managed to time the arrival just right and DL431 landed at 11:58 local time.

Less than an hour later, the flight was back in the air to New York as Delta 302.

Takeoff! An absolutely amazing job here by @Delta forecasters, dispatchers, flight and ground crews. Full flight back up to JFK.#Irma pic.twitter.com/sSulqA8g7t — Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) September 6, 2017

As DL302 departed, it followed the gap between Irma’s outer band and the core of the storm, allowing the aircraft to navigate in relatively calm air.

Delta 302 landed back in New York at 16:15 local time, 46 minutes ahead of schedule.