What Do Aircraft Lineman At Griffiss Do In Cold Snaps?

A couple of years back I worked at Griffiss International Airport as a Line Technician and although it was cool hanging around airplanes all day, when it gets cold like this, it was no fun at all.

Lineman spend most of their day outdoors whether marshalling aircraft in or out from parking, fueling them and towing them around, emptying the lavatories (that wasn't on the recruiting poster) or just running catering and coffee out to waiting business jets, but all of those duties take on a new meaning when the cold hits. Other responsibilities that enter the picture in winter include snowplowing the tarmac and deicing aircraft that have frost and snow on them so they can fly safely.

Bundling up is key and Million Air, our employer provided us all with bibs (overalls, not messy eater bibs) hats, gloves and coats to keep us warm, but that still wasn't enough. Many of us layered up underneath and everything had to be waterproof including your boots or else you were in for a loooong day or night. The pilots were probably all looking at us going, "I'm glad I'm not that poor schmo!" We looked like Stay-Puft Marshmallow Men much of the time, but you did what you had to do. And as you can imagine, going to the bathroom with all of that gear on was no picnic either!

So, while you're sitting indoors enjoying the heat, think of what it's like for all manner outdoor workers as Winter Storm Grayson gives us a run for our money...

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