ATLANTA — While you are cuddled up with hot chocolate spending time with family, remember that there is a group of essential workers who are giving the gift of safety this holiday season.
11Alive’s camera crews went deep into the heart of the airport on Christmas to get a closer look at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International airside operational team — the most critical job.
“We are one of the first responders for the airport right up there with police and fire. There’s no day that we’re not here. There’s no hour of the day that we’re not here. Anytime the airport is open, which is 24/7 365, airside operations are here, too,” said Josh Gilmartin.
As passengers board their planes and head for the sky, Gilmartin and his crew members scan the ground, inspecting every piece of pavement an airplane touches.
“It’s one of the hidden gems of the airport, as I like to describe it,” said Gilmartin. “Without us here, the airport would not be able to be open.”
At the world’s busiest airport, they do three airfield inspections a day from their SUVs, which have special permission to drive among the airplanes.
However, when there’s traffic, only one of them has the right-of-way.
“It’s our sworn duty to make sure we’re not in any airplane’s way. We’ll pull over to the side to make sure they can pass uninterrupted,” he added.
In their inspections, the crew makes sure that the pavement is in good condition for planes to land and that the lights and reflective markings are working properly.
The crew also looks beyond the pavement — to the signs and to make sure there are no deep holes that could hurt the landing gear or passengers if a plane needed to roll into the grass.
Gilmartin then inspected the runway for anything that could obstruct an airplane from landing driving the two-mile section.
With the extra bookings for holiday travel, Gilmartin and his team have plenty of work to do as the busy rush continues.
“It can go from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye here,” Gilmartin said.
He hopes the passengers remember that any minor delay is all in the name of safety.