Air Force One spent some time stuck on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews on Monday while President Joe Biden and his flight crew waited on board for snow plows to clear a path — both for the plane and for the rolling staircase they use to disembark.
The plane had to be de-iced prior to Biden’s departure from Delaware, where he spent most of the Christmas holidays. While most federal offices are closed Monday due to the inclement weather, President Biden is still expected to take part in an event aimed at “boosting competition & reducing prices in the meat-processing industry.”
DE-ICING: Air Force One … pic.twitter.com/hK0uFNDZCQ
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) January 3, 2022
“As snow blankets D.C., Air Force One is being de-iced as President Biden prepares to return from Delaware. Federal offices are closed, so the press briefing is canceled but we’ll see Biden during an event on boosting competition & reducing prices in the meat-processing industry,” CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins reported.
Several reporters shared photos of Air Force One’s arrival and of the ground crews at JBA battling the snow as they tried to prepare everything for the president’s arrival from Delaware.
In what looks like terrible conditions for any air travel, Air Force One returns to Joint Base Andrews in a snowstorm. pic.twitter.com/qjFj9hKZVd
— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) January 3, 2022
Air Force One landed @Andrews_JBA about 30 minutes ago. A delay in @POTUS coming off the plane, however, due to the equipment and personnel trying to cope with the inclement #weather in #Maryland. pic.twitter.com/SS3pJNVngi
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) January 3, 2022
Spectrum News national politics reporter Austin Landis noted that even after Air Force One arrived at JBA, crews were still working to clear a path for the president.
“Ahead of the president’s arrival, so much snow had fallen here at Joint Base Andrews that Air Force One had to taxi for 28 minutes before parking,” she said.
Moving the stairs so that President Biden and the flight crew could disembark also presented a problem in the cold, icy weather.
There was a bit of trouble with the Air Force One ramp stairs just now… pic.twitter.com/Xke891tnPE
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 3, 2022
“Snow plows had to clear the way for Air Force One as it taxied at Joint Base Andrews, with President Biden deplaning in the snow moments later,” Collins added.
Snow plows had to clear the way for Air Force One as it taxied at Joint Base Andrews, with President Biden deplaning in the snow moments later. pic.twitter.com/I7VCBv4rz0
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 3, 2022
President Joe Biden arrives aboard Air Force One during a heavy snow storm at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Photo by @j_ernst_DC pic.twitter.com/meujiFyYKw
— corinne_perkins (@corinne_perkins) January 3, 2022
Much of the mid-Atlantic is under a winter storm warning until Monday afternoon, with snowfalls ranging from four to eight inches in some areas. CNN reported:
More than 20 million people are under winter storm alerts Monday, as a strong stormsystem works its way across the eastern US.
The federal government in Washington, DC, is closed Monday, and weather-related disruptions are being felt across the country. Many schools have canceled classes, and the hundreds of thousands of customers are without power.
Snowfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are possible across the southern Appalachians, and areas of the Mid-Atlantic could see accumulations of up to 8 inches through Monday.