On that day, freezing rain and sleet virtually shut down northeastern airport. While most other airlines cancelled dozens of flight in preparation of the storm, JetBlue management opted to wait out the bad weather. The airline’s policy was to do whatever it could to ensure that a flight was completed, even if it meant waiting for several hours. Consequently, the airlines sent outbound flights to the runway at John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport in New York City at about 8.00 a.m., to be ready to take off as soon as the weather permitted, while incoming flights arrived and filled up the gates. But instead of improving, the bad weather continued. Under federal aviation guidelines, plans and equipment were literally freezing to the tarmac.