DOT 79-13
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-4570 

Airlines Report 13 Tarmac Delays Over Three Hours on Domestic Flights, Three Tarmac Delays Longer Than Four Hours on International Flights in July 

WASHINGTON – Airlines reported 13 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and three tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights in July, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released today. 

 

Of the 13 domestic delays, 12 involved flights departing New York’s LaGuardia Airport on July 22, the day the front landing gear of a Southwest Airlines plane collapsed upon landing at the airport, causing the airport to be closed temporarily. All of the reported tarmac delays, domestic and international, are under investigation by the Department.

 

The larger U.S. airlines have been required to file complete reports on their long tarmac delays for domestic flights since October 2008.  Under a rule that took effect Aug. 23, 2011, all U.S. and foreign airlines operating at least one aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats must report lengthy tarmac delays at U.S. airports.

 

Also beginning Aug. 23, 2011, carriers 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, which went into effect in April 2010.  Exceptions to the time limits for both domestic and international flights are allowed only for safety, security, or air traffic control-related reasons.  Severe weather could cause or exacerbate such situations.

 

The 16 airlines that file their on-time performance data with the Department reported that 73.1 percent of their flights arrived on time in July, down from the 76.0 percent on-time rate from July 2012, but up from the 71.9 percent mark from June 2013.

 

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 information on mishandled baggage reports filed by consumers with the carriers, and consumer service, disability, and discrimination complaints received by DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division.  The consumer report also includes reports of incidents involving the loss, death, or injury of pets traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers.

A news release on the Air Travel Consumer Report is available at http://www.dot.gov/briefing-room/airlines-report-13-tarmac-delays-over-three-hours-domestic-flights-three-tarmac-delays. The full consumer report is available at www.dot.gov/individuals/air-consumer/air-travel-consumer-reports. Detailed information on flight delays is available at www.bts.gov.

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