Eight Tarmac Delays Longer Than Four Hours on International Flights

Airlines reported 16 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and eight tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights in February, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released today.  Nine of the reported tarmac delays involved flights departing from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on February 27 during a snow storm.  All of the reported tarmac delays are under investigation by the Department.

Airlines operating international flights may not allow tarmac delays at U.S. airports to last longer than four hours without giving passengers an opportunity to deplane.  There is a separate three-hour limit on tarmac delays involving domestic flights.  Exceptions to the time limits for both domestic and international flights are allowed only for safety, security, or air traffic control-related reasons.  DOT rules require all U.S. and foreign airlines operating at least one aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats to report lengthy tarmac delays at U.S. airports.
 
In addition, the nation’s largest airlines posted an on-time arrival rate of 72.8 percent in February, up from the 70.7 percent on-time rate in February 2014, but down from the 76.8 percent mark in January 2015.
 
The consumer report also includes data on cancellations, chronically delayed flights, and the causes of flight delays filed with the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by the reporting carriers.  In addition, the consumer report contains statistics on mishandled baggage, as well as customer service, disability, and discrimination complaints received by DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division.  The Department routinely contacts individual carriers when it notices spikes or significant variations in complaint types or complaint levels in regulated areas. The consumer report also includes reports of incidents involving the loss, death, or injury of animals traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers.

FMI: www.bts.gov