Tue, Nov 23, 2010
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.
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