PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A massive six-month effort to process Afghan evacuees has officially ended at Philadelphia International Airport.
Officials say nearly 30,000 evacuees came through the airport between Aug. 28 and March 1.
Philly International Chief Operating Officer Keith Bunde said there were many moving parts to Operation Allies Welcome — many agencies to coordinate and steps to plan.
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He said he was caught short every time he was reminded of the human cost of the effort.
“You see these people coming off the plane with a small bag — like a small plastic Target bag — with all of their belongings, some without shoes. So you think, where were you 48 hours ago? And holy crap, that’s all you have, and you have a smile on your face,” he said.
Philadelphia had been the main arrival point since September because of its proximity to Fort Dix in Trenton, New Jersey, where the evacuees stayed until they found permanent homes in the U.S.
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Several hundred evacuees were resettled in the Philadelphia area but most left on commercial flights for other points.
The evacuation was largely over by October but officially ended this month.
“Everything just flowed. Everything clicked,” added Brune. “It was a hell of an operation. I’m thrilled we were able to pull it off as successfully as we did, and we’re ready when they call us again.”