Tarmac Delay Rules May Cause Carriers To Alter Schedules

Both winter travelers and airlines are no strangers to weather delays. Snow, sleet, and  freezing rain can play havoc with the efficient movements of airplanes during the winter months, and particularly the holiday season. And airline executives say that the new tarmac delay rules imposing heavy fines for flights that sit on the tarmac for more than three hours add additional complexity to their attempts to schedule flights in the winter months.

Transportation secretary Ray LaHood points to a sharp decrease, from 535 to 12 such delays from  May to September 2010 when compared to 2009, as proof that the rule is "protecting passengers." But the Wall Street Journal reports that things like time allowed for de-icing, runway plowing, and other special considerations have airlines re-thinking schedules and preparing reservation agents for what could be an onslaught of cancellations due to weather.

Last winter, as an example, US Airways cancelled flights for three days at Washington Reagan National Airport for three days due to a blizzard, two days at Philadelphia International, and a full day at LaGuardia. Because de-icing can take up to 25 minutes per airplane, US Airways vice president for operations in Pittsburgh told the Wall Street Journal that the three-hour rule "is going to be our biggest challenge."

While government statistics seem to indicate that the number of cancelled flights has not grown significantly since the rule took effect, some airlines insist that they are cancelling more flights than before, causing more disruption to travel plans than long waits. Harsh winter weather this year could tell the tale.

FMI: www.dot.gov