Originally Posted by
TSHEKUDU
ATC has everything to do with it. Have a look at the weather conditions on the said day and you will see that RWY 13L/R was not preferred runway.
Here are the METARs on either side:
KJFK 050151Z 15010KT 10SM BKN037 BKN250 09/04 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP302 T00940044
KJFK 050051Z 14011KT 10SM OVC035 09/04 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP303 T00940044
What's wrong with 13L in that situation?
JFK was in a standard arrive 13L/22L, depart 13R configuration. Arrivals over CAMRN (south) and LENDY (north/west) get 13L. ROBERs (east) get 22L.
EK207 that day came from the north, so it was assigned 13L.