Though it did not touch Louisiana soil, the category two Hurricane Frances still affected the Southern University volleyball team, which had to call off their scheduled season opener at the Hampton University tournament in Hampton, Va., on Sept. 3.
Southern was scheduled to leave from the Baton Rouge Metro Airport and transfer in Atlanta. Since Frances’ path was predicted to hit neighboring state Georgia, the Lady Jaguars pulled out of the Hampton Tournament.
“It was a situation that we were going to get caught in the hurricane,” said Nathaniel Denu, Southern volleyball head coach. “Our main concern is that we didn’t want to get stuck.”
Denu added that they were disappointed because they wanted to play in the tournament, for experience, but safety was an issue.
According to Ronnie Pickard, the marketing director at the Baton Rouge Metro Airport, all aircrafts or commercial airlines have standards for flying in inclined weather. Such conditions as bad visibility due to fog, rain, wind, cold weather, ice or snow could keep a plane grounded. It depends mostly on the region.
For example, if Baton Rouge had a rainstorm with thunder and lightning, flights coming in would be diverted to New Orleans or nearby airports.
“Weather delays are ultimately called by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) tower, which is a general standard nationally,” Pickard said. “Each airline has their own specifications but the FAA has the ultimate say.”
The FAA did not cancel the Lady Jags flight. That decision was made by Denu.
A Southern athletic department spokesperson said that the plane tickets were donated to the team by an outside source and there was no financial loss to the Lady Jags.
The Lady Jags’ first home game is Monday against Dillard University on Sept. 13, in Seymour Gym, at 7:30 p.m.
