The US DoT – Department of Transportation – has rejected appeals made by US airlines to avoid having a new airport rule imposed on them.

With effect from 29 April 2010, airlines using US airports will be limited on how long they can keep their airliners on the ground with passengers on board before taking off. Airlines that exceed three hours will have to pay costs equating to $27,500 for each passenger on board the aircraft.

The only exceptions are instances where security or safety issues dictate the need for extreme airport tarmac delays but earlier in 2010, five airlines applied for temporary rule waivers.

Airport Delay Exemption

On 23 April, the airlines’ airport delay exemption requests were refused at governmental level.

“Passengers on flights delayed on the tarmac have a right to know they will not be held aboard a plane indefinitely,” United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood stated in connection with the refusal, adding: “This is an important consumer protection, and we believe it should take effect as planned.”

Tarmac Delay Rule Appeal

As previously reported by Airport International, at the start of March 2010, two airlines sought tarmac delay rule exemptions: they being Delta and JetBlue. Both carriers stressed that the rule would impact on their operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport, where a runway closure is in effect until the end of 2010.

American Airlines subsequently submitted a similar appeal covering the same airport, followed by Continental Airlines and US Airways: the latter two appeals focusing on New York LaGuardia Airport, Newark International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport.

All the carriers stressed how, unless exemptions were made, substantial airport flight cancellations would be inevitable, and passengers would be inconvenienced.

The DoT’s reply to the appeals asserted that the airlines could mitigate the impact of tarmac delays by either rescheduling flights or moving them to other locations.