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OST-2007-0108 - Lengthy On-Board Ground Delays Task Force
Development of Contingency Plans - Task Force Recommendations
OST-2001-9325 - Oversales and Denied Boarding Compensation
OST-2007-28522 - Public Comments on Reporting Requirements for Aircraft Returning to Departure Gate
OST-2007-0022 - Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections
FAA-2007-29320 - Operating Limitations at JFK
FAA-2008-0036 - Policy Regarding Airport Rates and ChargesH.R. 6355 - Air Service Improvement Act of 2008 - To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for improvements in the quality of airline services, and for other purposes - June 24, 2008
Air Passenger Rights in the European Union
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National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays December 17, 2007 Notice of Intent to Form an Advisory Committee | Word | As Published in Federal Register December 20, 2007 OST is establishing a National Task Force to develop model contingency plans to deal with lengthy airline on-board ground delays. The Task Force will be composed of individuals appointed by the Secretary of Transportation who represent a cross-section of the diverse agencies, organizations and individuals that represent airlines, airports and consumer groups in the U.S. The Task Force will also ensure that members of the public are able to present their views to it. The purpose of this notice is to invite interested parties, organizations, and individuals, to submit applications to be considered for representation on the Task Force. Comments and/or applications for membership or nominations for membership on the Task Force must be received on or before January 4, 2008. By: Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, Samuel Podberesky
December 26, 2007 Allegheny County Airport Notice of Participation As the operator of the Pittsburgh International Airport, the Allegheny County Airport Authority is uniquely positioned to provide the National Task Force that will Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays valuable insight. As the CEO/Executive Director of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, I am authorized to represent the Authority, and make the commitment to participate in the Task Force in a good faith manner. By: Bradley Penrod, 412-472-3510, bpenrod@pitairport.com
December 28, 2007 Re: Regional Airline Association Would Like to Participate Because of the significance of regional airlines in the U.S., the work of the task force carries significant potential consequence to our member airlines, our 60,000 employees and our 156 million annual passengers. In this regard, we request that not only RAA participate in the task force, but that you also consider qualified volunteers from our member airlines, whose expertise would prove invaluable to the group effort. By: RAA, Roger Cohen
January 2, 2008
December 31, 2007
January 2, 2008 Re: Airports Council International - North America Application By: Deborah McElroy
January 3, 2008 Re: Charles Wheeler for ExpressJet
January 3, 2008 Re: International Air Transport Association Application By: Douglas Lavin
January 2, 2008 Re: Application of the National Air Carrier Association By: Thomas Zoeller
December 21, 2007 Re: Application of Northwest Airlines Counsel: Northwest, Stanley Sandiford
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of the Air Transport Association of America By: Basil Barimo, VP Operations & Safety
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of AirTran Airways By: Robert Fornaro, President and CEO
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of American Eagle Airlines By: Brian Bartal, Project Manager
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of Continental Airlines Counsel: Continental, Thomas Newton Bolling, 713-324-5606, thomas.bolling@coair.com
December 31, 2007 Re: Application of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport By: James Crites, VP Operations
January 3, 2008 Re: Application of Frontier Airlines By: Kevin D. Hudson, Senior Manager, Operational Performance, Tracking, and Reporting
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of Southwest Airlines Counsel: Southwest, Robert Kneisley
January 3, 2008 Re: Application of United Air Lines By: Alex Marren, VP Operational Services, United Express, and Ted
January 3, 2008 Re: Application of The Air Line Pilots Association, International By: Captain Larry Newman, Chairman, Air Traffic Services Group
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of American Airlines By: James Gaydos, Director, Airport Services
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of American Airlines and American Eagle By: Andrea Huguely, Spokeswoman, Corporate Communications
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of American Society of Travel Agents Counsel: ASTA, Paul Ruden
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of the Air Carrier Association of America Counsel: ACAA, Edward Faberman
January 4, 2008 Re: Applicaiton of ExpressJet Airlines By: Charles Durham, Sr Manager of Dispatch
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of The International Airline Passengers Association By: Daniel Ruttenberg, VP
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Counsel: George Doughty, Executive Director
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey By: Lysa Scully, Asst Director Customer, Cargo, Concessions & Airport Services
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of SkyWay Airlines By: Leo Malloy, leo.malloy@midwestairlines.com
January 4, 2008 Re: Application of Spirit Airlines By: Ben Baldanza, President & CEO
January 4, 2008 Counsel: US Airways, Howard Kass
January 3, 2008 Re: Application of Washington Airports Task Force By: Leo Schefer
January 8, 2008 Re: Congressman David Price Nominating William Williams to National Task Force By: David Price
January 22, 2008
January 23, 2008 Application of Tony Lefebvre, Senior Vice President, Spirit Airlines
On File at Federal Register February 8, 2008 Notice of Membership and First Meeting of Advisory Committee As Published in Federal Register February 11, 2008 This notice announces the membership and the first meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The first meeting will be held on February 26, 2008. By: Samuel Podberesky
September 25, 2007 Actions Needed to Minimize Long, On-Board Flight Delays - IG Report By: IG, Calvin Scovel
September 27, 2007 Summary of September 25, 2007 IG Report By: IG
January 17-18, 2008 Airports Council International-North America Summary Report By: ACI-NA
February 26, 2008 By: Peggy Swalve
February 26, 2008 Delta Air Lines' Extended Ground Delay Response Program By: Delta
February 26, 2008 Planning for Irregular Operations at DFW International Airport By: DFW, James Crites
February 26, 2008 Passengers with Disabilities and Tarmac Delays: Canaries in the Coal Mines By: Michael Collins
February 26, 2008 Reducing Tarmac Delays at Northwest Airlines By: Bob Muhs
February 26, 2008 Perspectives on Actions Needed to Minimize Long, On-Board Delays By: IG
February 26, 2008 Transcript of Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights Audio Presentation By: Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights
February 26, 2008 Task Force - Record of Meeting By: Samuel Podberesky
OST-2007-0022 - Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections February 26, 2008 By: Samuel Podberesky
On File at Federal Register April 11, 2008 This notice announces a meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The Task Force meeting is scheduled for April 29, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Task Force meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of Transportation. By: Samuel Podberesky
April 23, 2008 Re: Meeting Materials - Bookmarked - 13MB
April 29, 2008 DOT Memorandum on Delta and ASA Taxi-Out Delays - Bookmarked On January 16, 2008, Delta Air Lines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines experienced significant taxi-out delays during a winter weather event at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. On Tuesday, March 11, 2008, I met with representatives from Delta, ASA and ATL's Department of Aviation to examine the issues surrounding the many delays at ATL on January 16, and the manner in which Delta and the airport dealt with them. The chief causal factor of the extensive taxi-out delays that Delta experienced on January 16, 2008, was Delta's lack of situational awareness, which was brought about by the following critical factors: (1) Delta's reliance on visual observations to control the push back and queuing of aircraft waiting to deice; (2) a lack of effective communication between Delta personnel in Concourses A and those in E; (3) a lack of effective communication between Delta pilots in holding aircraft and the Delta Operations control Center; and (4) a lack of effective coordination among Delta, the DOA and Air Traffic Control, in contravention of the ATL Winter Weather Plan. By: Livaughn Chapman
April 29, 2008 Re: Second Meeting of the National Task Force - Bookmarked - 5.4MB
OST-2007-0022 - Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections May 14, 2008 Re: Record of April 29, 2008 Meeting Mr. Podberesky stated that there have been several other developments regarding the subject of tarmac delays since the last Task Force meeting. Mr. Podberesky also noted that the DOT has been reviewing lengthy tarmac delays throughout the system. He stated that in February there were fewer delays than previously‑only a handful that exceeded 4 or 5 hours. He noted that the DOT will soon be reviewing the March data as it is now available. By: Samuel Podberesky
On File at Federal Register May 28, 2008 Notice of Meeting of Advisory Committee | As Published in Federal Register May 30, 2008 This notice announces a meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The Task Force meeting is scheduled for June 16, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The agenda topics for the June 16, 2008, meeting will include the following: (1) a briefing by the Contingency Plan Working Group, the working group that is tasked with reviewing existing airline and airport contingency plans for extended tarmac delays for best practices and developing a model contingency plan; and (2) one or more presentations on recent tarmac delay events and efforts to avoid them. By: Samuel Podberesky
June 16, 2008 Supplement 2 - Management of Lengthy Tarmac Delays - Captain Don Dillman, System Operations Control - American Airlines Supplement 3 - US Customs and Border Protection - Tarmac Delay Task Force Supplement 4 - Review of Incidents of Lengthy On-Board Delays and Their Causes for February-April 2008 - Livaughn Chapman, Office of Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings Supplement 5 - Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X - ASDE-X and Data Distribution System Overview - Presented by Scott Schlegel, ASDE-X Project Lead Supplement 6 - DOT Tarmac Delay - TSA Response - TSA Office of Security Operations, Michael E. Duffy, TSA Executive Liaison to FAA Supplement 7 - DOT Development of Model Response Plan - Presentation by James M. Crites Co-Chair Working Group 3
On File at Federal Register July 2, 2008 Notice of Meeting of Advisory Committee As Published in Federal Register July 3, 2008 This notice announces a meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The Task Force meeting is scheduled for July 24, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The agenda topics for the July 24, 2008, meeting will include the following: (1) an update by the Contingency Plan Working Group, the working group that is tasked with reviewing existing airline and airport contingency plans for extended tarmac delays for best practices and developing a model contingency plan, on the Working Group’s progress; and (2) one or more presentations on recent tarmac delay events and efforts to avoid them. By: Samuel Podberesky
July 11, 2008 Re: Response of American Airlines Concerning March 6 Delays The following is American and American Eagle's response to the email received from Samuel Podberesky on May 21, 2008, requesting information on flights operated by American and American Eagle departing from the DFW Intemational Airport on March 6, 2008. On March 6, 2008, DFW received frozen precipitation which arrived several hours earlier than predicted. As a result, American had ten and American Eagle had five aircraft that experienced tarmac delays over four hours. This letter provides a detailed explanation of the events that transpired on March 6, and information on how passengers responded. Managers from Flight Service at AA and AE conducted interviews with flight attendants from the flights that experienced tarmac delays in excess of 4 hours. The details of the interviews are contained in Attachment A In summary, crews kept passengers informed of events and conducted voice polls to determine if passengers wanted to continue or return to the gate. Snacks and beverages were provided on flights, as available. No lavatory issues were reported. Counsel: American, Robert Cordes, 817-967-4147
June 12, 2008 Re: Response of Delta Air Lines - Review of February 12th Icing Event in JFK This letter constitutes Delta's written response to your email, dated May 21, 2008, requesting certain specific information concerning five flights operated by Delta (2 flights) and Comair (3 flights) that experienced extended ground delays departing JFK on February 12, 2008, and additional information regarding the provision of food and water on the Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) flights that were subject to extended ground delays departing Atlanta on January 16, 2008. The five extended ground delays experienced by Delta and Comair in JFK on February 12th were the result of a weather system that caused severe icing conditions during the busy evening departure window. According to our records, the same weather system that drove these delays also resulted in significant departure delays in LGA, PHL, BWI, DCA and PIT. Air Traffic Control (ATC) traffic management programs were initiated in EWR, JFK, LGA, PHL, ORD, and MDW with departure delays of 60 to 120 minutes. Counsel: David Seiler, 404-715-5196
June 11, 2008 Email Message - Response of United Air Lines Concerning February 12 Delays This is in response to the e-mail of May 21, 2008 from Sam Podberesky to Cindy Szadokierski requesting information regarding two United flights that were delayed on the tarmac during taxi out for extended periods in excess of four hours on February 12, 2008. Cindy asked me to respond on her behalf. Our understanding is that this information is requested by the Department in connection with the activities of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays, but that the information will be reviewed within the Department and not presented formally to the Task Force. We provide the requested information on that understanding. Many flights at airports in the Northeast Corridor were substantially delayed on February 12. A winter storm caused snow and freezing rain to fall across the entire region for much of the evening, leading to extended delays that impacted all flights into and out of JFK and PHL, as well as other airports in the region in addition to the two United flights listed on the attachment to your e-mail. Those airports are frequently subject to ground delay programs even under near-ideal conditions, and the inclement weather on the evening of February 12 only put further strain on the system. Those passengers for whom United had contact information, principally those with Mileage Plus accounts, received a formal letter of apology. Mileage Plus members also received compensation in the form of additional mileage deposited into their account based on their status. There were two complaint calls taken by Customer Relations and one was given compensation of $300 travel certificate. Counsel: United, Ricks Frazier, 312-997-8074
June 16, 2008 By: DOT
FAA Airport Improvement Program Handbook - June 28, 2005
July 20, 2008 Email Message - Airline Complaint My 16 yr old daughter was to be on a flight to Moscow with her youth group this past Friday, July 19. She boarded the plane at Hartsfield Airport at 230p for a 330p flight. She sat in her seat with no air and no food offered until 7pm at night! Due to a mechanical difficulty the plane did not take off until 1040 pm that night! While I am very glad that the plane was serviced for safety, there is no reason for passengers to have to sit in a hot plane, at the gate, for hours on end! I have heard the hogwash about "losing their slot" and "it's up to the captain, " but when the airlines do not make wise decisions for the passengers' sake, their customers, then the passengers must do so for themselves. In this instance, the passengers were ALLOWED to finally deplane at 7p and did not reboard again until 945 that night, with the airplane not leaving the ground until another full hour, approximately 1040p. By: Janice Scott
July 22, 2008 Re: Memorandum - Comments on "Development of a Contingency Plan" I am appreciative of all the work that has gone into the document to this point. However, on behalf of CAPBOR, I believe this document needs some essential additions [ in order of their discussion in the text] relating to (1) Pre-Gate Release - efforts to reduce the amount of time passengers must spend on aircraft when a lengthy delay is expected before takeoff; (2) “Deplaning Triggers” – need to reference the airlines’ existing commitments to offer passengers a deplaning option not later than at a pre-established deadline; and (3) Access to Unoccupied Gates – assuring that stranded aircraft can obtain access to an airport’s common use gates or to other carriers’ gates – if unoccupied and technically compatible with the stranded aircraft. In general, the document discusses options for airline, airport, Government agency and airport service providers to pre-plan or take action when a lengthy ground delay occurs. Unfortunately, there are no suggestions for avoiding or minimizing such ground delays: for example, all the proposed pre-deplaning steps could be spread out over a nine-hour period. That omission of a timeline is unacceptable to the hundreds of airline passengers who contact our hotline. By: Coalition for an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights
Fourth Meeting Schedule - July 24, 2008
Working Group 3 Update - July 24, 2008
Federal Government Response Plan - July 24, 2008
August 4, 2008 Notice of Advisory Committee Meeting This notice announces a meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The meeting will be held on August 25, 2008, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC, in the Oklahoma City Conference Room on the lobby level of the West Building. The agenda topics for the August 25, 2008, meeting will include the following: (1) a final review and discussion of a draft model contingency plan for dealing with lengthy tarmac delays, developed by the Contingency Plan Working Group, the working group that is tasked with reviewing existing airline and airport contingency plans for extended tarmac delays for best practices and developing a model contingency plan; and (2) one or more presentations on recent tarmac delay events and efforts to avoid them. By: Samuel Podberesky
July 25, 2008 Re: Letter of Commendation to Michael Chertoff In 2007, there was a sharp increase in consumer complaints resulting from customer service dissatisfaction with the steady rise in flight delays, cancellations and missed connections over previous years. Complaints from passengers left sitting for hours in aircraft on the tarmac were particularly disturbing. In December 2007, I established the Task Force, whose members represent the airline industry, consumer groups, and other interested parties, to identify tools, procedures, and partnerships that would meet the needs of the traveling public when unavoidable tarmac delays occur. On June 16, 2008, TSA representative Mike Duffy and CBP representative Ralph Hackney shared with the Task Force members policies that would allow carriers to deplane passengers on flights diverted to an airport when no CBP or TSA personnel were on duty. The TSA policy would permit airport and airline operators to establish a sterile area using procedures already outlined in the Airport Security Plan or the Aircraft Operator Standard Security Plan. Additionally, the airport operator or air carrier would be permitted to establish escort procedures outside the sterile area, providing access to such places as vending machines without TSA screening. The CBP policy would permit airport authorities and the airlines to develop and document procedures in a memorandum of understanding with the CBP regional director of field operations for creating secure holding areas where passengers can obtain food and use the restrooms. Members of the Task Force responded by praising the efforts of both agencies to quickly provide tangible, workable solutions that will significantly reduce tarmac delays that result from diversions. Members also urged both TSA and CBP to implement these new procedures promptly at the field level and not wait for a formal recommendation from the Task Force. I commend yom staff for their collaborative spirit and important contributions to reduce the occurrence of lengthy ground delays and their impact on passengers. I also urge TSA and CBP to take the necessary steps to implement nationwide the procedures they have developed. By: Mary Peters
August 22, 2008 Re: Record of Meeting - July 24, 2008 By: Samuel Podberesky
August 21, 2008 Re: Development of Contingency Plans - Unedited Working Draft - Bookmarked The purpose of this document is to provide airlines, airports, Government agencies, and aviation service providers a preplanning tool to voluntarily use to develop contingency plans to deal with lengthy onboard ground delay. A contingency plan for onboard ground delays will enable airlines, airports, Government agencies, and aviation service providers to participate in a joint-response effort to ensure passenger needs are rapidly identified and addressed during lengthy onboard ground delays. Each airline, airport, Government agency, and aviation service provider should tailor the plan to their own situation.
August 25, 2008 Re: Record of Meeting - August 25, 2008 By: Samuel Podberesky
August 16, 2008 Task Force Meeting Materials - Off-Gate (Hardstand) Flight - PowerPoint Presentation By: PAI Consulting, Katie Hamlin
On File at Federal Register September 3, 2008 Notice of Advisory Committee Meeting As Published in the Federal Register September 4, 2008 This notice announces a meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The Task Force meeting is scheduled for September 22, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The agenda topics for the September 22, 2008, meeting will include a continuation of the final review and discussion of the draft model contingency planning document for dealing with lengthy tarmac delays that was developed by the Contingency Plan Working Group, the working group that is tasked with reviewing existing airline and airport contingency plans for extended tarmac delays for best practices and developing a model contingency plan. By: Samuel Podberesky
September 16, 2008 Re: Record of Meeting - August 25 By: Samuel Podberesky
September 4, 2008 Re: Letter of Department of Homeland Security The task force asked TSA to detennine the viability of establishing a universal policy; TSA leadership conducted a review of the current rules and offered a solution that allows the diverted aircraft to take off and deplane at a destination airport into a secure area. The procedures were distributed nationally to all TSA Federal Security Directors on June 20, 2008. Another issue covered by the Task Force was the unscheduled and diverted arrivals of international flights into airports not normally staffed by CBP. By: Michael Chertoff
September 19, 2008 Contingency Plans - Unedited Working Draft
September 22, 2008
On File at Federal Register October 14, 2008 Notice of Advisory Committee Meeting This notice announces a meeting of the National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. The Task Force meeting is scheduled for November 12, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The agenda topics for the November 12, 2008 meeting will include a vote by Task Force members for or against recommending the contingency planning document to the Secretary of Transportation as a tool to help manage/minimize the impact of lengthy on-board ground delays, and presentations by Task Force members on their views of the contingency planning document. By: Samuel Podberesky
November 3, 2008 Re: Record of Meeting - September 22, 2008 Mr. Podberesky stated that at this meeting, the Task Force will continue a review of the sections of the contingency planning document that were not discussed at the August meeting. He explained that the purpose of this meeting is to review and finalize new proposed revisions in the latest draft, and to revise the contingency planning document based on the Task Force's comments. By: Samuel Podberesky
November 12, 2008 Development of Contingency Plans - Task Force Recommendations - Bookmarked The members of the Task Force recognize that both individual plans and a coordinated collaborative effort by the airlines, airports, Government agencies, and other aviation service providers are essential to successfully minimizing the impact of lengthy onboard ground delays on passengers. In view of this principle, all aviation service providers are urged to modify their individual response plans, as appropriate, consistent with the recommendations in this document. They are also urged to create a ground delay committee at each airport to develop a coordinated collaborative planning process to respond to lengthy onboard ground delays. The Task Force regards these two steps as essential evidence of a commitment to properly deal with lengthy onboard confinement of passengers during ground delays.
October 29, 2008
Re: Comments of International Airline Passengers Association While IAPA endorses and supports the collective passenger needs identified relating to Airline On-Board, Terminal and Extended Tarmac Delays, the 400,000 member Association is disappointed that the full Task Force was unable to reach a consensus to incorporate time-specific trigger thresholds for informing passengers of flight status updates, including real-time departure and arrival expectations which, in turn, would afford passengers options for deplaning, returning to the gate, rebooking alternatives, canceling reservations and/or communicating with family or business contacts. IAPA has actively participated in working group assignments, believing that this Model Contingency Planning "tool" would afford each stakeholder guidelines upon which to adapt their respective passenger need responsibilities, including "trigger" thresholds, with the full recognition that strict time-specific trigger standards cannot be uniformly applied or mandated. However, IAPA believes that such "model" time-specific trigger thresholds are essential for prompting customer contact to address passenger needs. Consequently, IAPA respectfully requests Secretary Peters to consider the inclusion of such guidelines to ensure stakeholder accountability for the expressed intent of recognizing passenger needs during Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. By: IAPA, Daniel Rutenberg
Re: Executive Summary Comments of International Airline Passengers Association The International Airline Passengers Association supports the Plan's comprehensive passenger need requirements relating to Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. However, the 400,000 member Association is disappointed that Task Force members were unable to reach a consensus to incorporate time-specific trigger event thresholds for communicating real-time departure and arrival updates which, in turn, would afford delayed passengers options for deplaning, returning to the gate, rebooking alternatives, and/or communicating with family or business contacts. lAPA respectfully appeals to Secretary Peters to permit time-specific trigger thresholds as model guidelines, not mandates, for initiating timely customer contact and stakeholder accountability. By: IAPA, Daniel Rutenberg
November 2, 2008
Re: Comments of American Society of Travel Agents The main component that is missing from the Report, in our opinion, is a set of timelines by which the airlines and airports would be expected by the Department to report their progress in implementing the Report’s recommendations. We understand the reluctance of many participants to agree to anything that appears to be regulatory or mandatory, but without such timelines, the risk exists that the Report will simply become “another government study,” to be shelved with all the others and largely ignored. For that reason, we strongly urge the Secretary to add to the Report her call for the airlines and airports to report to the Department every six months (from issuance of the Report) on their achievements in developing actual (or modifying existing) contingency plans to address the issues raised in the Report. These progress reports, or a summary of their contents, should be promptly published so that consumers and other interested parties can evaluate the commitment and the progress being made toward real solutions. The time for serious and forceful action on treatment of passengers has come. Counsel: ASTA, Paul Ruden
Re: Summary of Comments of American Society of Travel Agents The main missing component is timelines by which airlines and airports would be expected to report progress in implementing the Report. We strongly urge the Secretary to issue a call for airlines and airports to make progress reports every six months. Publication of these reports will inform interested parties regarding the commitment and progress being made toward real solutions. Counsel: ASTA, Paul Ruden
November 3, 2008
Re: Comments of Airports Council International-North America Several airports have already moved forward in implementing many of the measures in the Model Plan, even prior to its issuance. Both Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport held “diversion workshops” over the last few months to work with their hub airlines and smaller airports that could be affected by delays and diversions. ACI-NA is also planning a series of workshops across the country to brief member airports about the Model Plan and the importance of collaboratively working with airlines, community organizations and federal officials at their airport in the development of contingency plans. As was amply demonstrated during the Task Force deliberations, only through such successful collaboration, including cooperation from officials with the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection will meaningful progress be made in addressing extended tarmac delays. By: ACI-NA, Deborah McElroy
Re: Summary Comments of Airports Council International-North America The Task Force successfully produced a Plan that addresses the majority of issues raised by industry and passenger advocates. We believe it will facilitate better planning, communication and coordination. Several airports, including DFW and ATL, have already implemented measures in the Plan, even prior to its issuance. ACI-NA is also planning workshops about the Plan and collaborating with airlines, community organizations, FAA, TSA and CBP. Only through such collaboration will meaningful progress be made. By: ACI-NA, Deborah McElroy
November 3, 2008
Re: Comments of Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport Traditional aircraft deicing can result in significant reductions in ramp operating capacity, whereas periods of lightning results in zero ramp operating capacity. Additionally, the impact of weather is becoming more significant as average passenger load factors grow. This is due to the growing volume of passengers that need to be accommodated as a result of cancelled or delayed flights due to inclement weather. As such, I would recommend that the Federal Aviation Administration be tasked with convening a Task Force to explore the impact of inclement weather on Irregular Operations as well as developing solutions that might address this issue. In summary, I believe that the Task Force has made a significant contribution to the development of contingency plans for lengthy airline on-board ground delays and that the Flying Public will benefit greatly from the Task Force/s efforts. Finally/opportunities for continued progress exist and can be effectively addressed through similar efforts. By: DFW, James Crites
Re: Summary Comments of Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport Much has been learned through this effort. First is the recognition that all service providers need to actively participate throughout Irregular Operations events. Additionally, that Communication, Collaboration and Coordination (C3) across all service providers is essential. Also recognized was the need to develop an Irregular Operations Planning Process which engages all service providers prior to! during and after an event. By: DFW, James Crites
November 3, 2008
Re: Comments of National Air Carrier Association In our view, the development of a model plan should include permissive language, as it is necessary for the appropriate actors (such as airlines and airports) to develop a contingency plan that can be fashioned to the individual requirements of that carrier or airport. As the discussions of the Task Force have shown, each incident has its own unique circumstances. Each airport and each air carrier have their own unique and separate operational requirements. No one plan can be developed that can adequately address the needs of each and every passenger, carrier or airport. The use of permissive language allows each air carrier to take the Task Force's model and develop their own contingency plan. As the Secretary and the Department consider the recommendations of the Task Force, maximum flexibility should be ensured for the carriers and airports to develop a response plan that best fits their operating circumstances. This is particularly important for the NACA carriers. The Task Force model plan does not provide any definitions for terms such as "airlines." During our deliberations, NACA raised the issue of what the definition of"airlines" was to entail. After some discussion and further consideration by the Department, it is our understanding that "airlines" refers to all air carriers that are licensed to operate under Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Administration's regulations. While NACA does not object to the broad use of the term "airline," it is important to note that not all Part 121 certificated carriers are alike. This is particularly true for many of the passenger carriers of NACA that operate as public charter or ACMI operators. After reading the Task Force report, there is an implication that all airlines have the same type of operations and capabilities. A reading of the Task Force report is heavily weighted towards the operations of the regularly scheduled passenger carriers. By: NACA, Thomas Zoeller
Re: Concurring Comments Summary of National Air Carrier Association NACA emphasizes that the development of a model plan should include permissive language, as it is necessary for the appropriate actors (such as airlines and airports) to develop a contingency plan can be fashioned to the individual requirements of that carrier or airport. No one plan can be developed that can adequately address the needs of each and every passenger, carrier or airport. The use of permissive language allows each air carrier to take the Task Force’s model and develop their own contingency plan. As the Secretary and the Department consider the recommendations of the Task Force, maximum flexibility should be ensured for the carriers and airports to develop a response plan that best fits their operating circumstances. This is particularly important for the NACA carriers. While charter and ACMI operators are extremely customer focused, they have completely different type of operational structure from the legacy carriers. Maximum flexibility must be afforded for these carriers to develop their plans. By: NACA, Thomas Zoeller
November 3, 2008
Re: Comments of Regional Airline Association It is not unexpected that widely differing views were voiced on a number of the issues brought before the Task Force. Yet we believe that the Task Force presentation and discussion process has worked to better bring the parties together in their understanding of the human and operational issues involved when lengthy airline on-board ground delays regrettably occur, as they will for reasons beyond anyone’s control and despite the best efforts of airlines, airports and the government agencies involved in air transportation. The RAA and its member airlines believe that the approaches and guidelines presented in this National Task Force report provide the information and support necessary to facilitate improvements to the care provided to airline passengers when these events occur. By: RAA, Roger Cohen, 202-367-1170
Re: Summary of Comments of Regional Airline Association
By: RAA, Roger Cohen, 202-367-1170
November 3, 2008 Re: Comments of Washington Airports Task Force I am signing The Tarmac Delay Task Force plan on behalf of the Washington Airports Task Force with reservations, as the plan is seriously deficient in a number of areas. The plan provides a useful recommendation for airline, airport and federal agencies working to handle tarmac delays. The plan correctly and consistently stresses the need for a team approach by all aviation stakeholders at an airport and its diversionary sites and stresses the need for situational awareness. However, the plan is silent on a number of important aspects of tarmac delays.
November 6, 2008 Re: Coalition for an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights Concerns with Draft Final Task Force Report The Task Force staff has imposed an arbitrary limitation of 100 words on our Coalition's comments to be presented personally to you along with the final version of the Task Force report. Even though our passenger coalition has endured its minority and greatly outnumbered position among the Task Force's membership, our recommendations will not be included in the executive summary to be presented to you because we have exceeded that number of words. In fact, we had condensed our comments (below) to the greatest extent possible, consistent with our raising three issues for your personal attention.
By: CAPBOR, Kate Hanni
November 12, 2008
November 12, 2008 Re: Record of Voting by Task Force Members
November 12, 2008
November 12, 2008 Re: Development of Model Response Plan By: James Crites
November 12, 2008 Re: Summary of Comments of Air Carrier Association of America ACAA applauds the Department for inviting multiple aviation parties to participate in the Task Force meetings. As a result, the Task Force addressed the views of all parties. However, the Department also needs to ensure that passengers traveling on all carriers at an airport are provided similar protections. Moreover, the FAA should not impose longer air traffic delays on carriers with a few flights per day than it does on carriers with hundreds of flights at the same airport. By taking these steps, all passengers and communities will be provided support and protections when delays occur. Counsel: ACAA, Edward Faberman, 202-719-7420
November 13, 2008 Re: Comments of Air Transport Association Airlines recognize that despite their best efforts extended onboard ground delays will occur periodically for reasons beyond anyone’s control. What is important, however, is that customers are properly cared for during those events, and the contingency planning guidelines facilitate that care. The document reflects the ability of airlines and other stakeholders to work collaboratively to improve customer service and overcome sharply disparate views on many elements of the document. The success of the Task Force clearly demonstrates that not every problem requires a new law or regulation to solve, especially when it comes to operational and customer-service issues. By: ATA
November 13, 2008 Re: Summary Comments of Allegheny County Airport Authority The Airport community has always been a willing partner in proving quality customer service. As such, there is an associated cost with those services that airports may be expected to provide. Depending on the type of use and lease agreements airports have with airlines, there may be a need to either make Delay Committee responsibilities and services part of tenant rates and charges, or they may need to invoice the involved carrier on a case by case basis. In either case, the service provided will make the passenger and overall flying experience less stressful. By: Brad Penrod
November 3, 2008 Re: Comments of Air Carrier Association of America At a number of large airports, smaller carriers have historically had longer delays than the larger carriers. When delay programs are in place, a higher percentage of smaller carriers flights are impacted, while only a small percentage of large carrier flights are impacted by those same delay programs. For example, it is not unusual that on a bad delay day, delays for small carriers run three to four hours. When added to later delays, small carriers - with limited fleets - frequently face 8-10 hour total delays on flights throughout the day. On those same delay days, large carriers are able to operate many of their flights closer to scheduled times because of the significant number of flights they have scheduled (10 to 15 roundtrips in some markets). Therefore, when they cancel a few flights, they can operate the rest of their flights on-time. Moreover, passengers of large carriers are protected because they can be moved to final destinations by several different routings because they serve multiple hubs from 46 same or nearby airports. To address this inequitable situation, steps need to be taken to establish a "level" playing field. One option is to allow small carriers to designate a certain number of "delay-free" arrivals (not departures) that would not be subject to delays unless unusual conditions exist requiring the FAA to immediately and dramatically limit traffic. Each carrier would have to advise the FAA of the arrivals it wants to designate as "delay free." These steps would create a new level "delay" playing field. By making these points, the Department will further protect passengers and the entire system. All parties will benefit! Counsel: Wiley Rein, Edward Faberman, 202-719-7402
November 12, 2008 Re: Comments of American Association of Airport Executives The process of addressing lengthy delays and other customer service issues must include communication between all parties and give airport operators flexible options. As discussions on this topic continue, a key consideration for individual airports will be how to address costs and personnel associated with irregular operations. The Task Force document will be a useful tool for airports as they continue to develop their plans. By: AAAE, Melissa Sabatine, 703-578-2502
November 26, 2008 Please find enclosed an editorial by the New York Times (November 21, 2008). This editorial reinforces the content of our earlier letter (CAPBOR letter, November 6, 2008) that you override the final Tarmac Delays Task Force report and set a maximum tarmac delay. We favor and ask you to consider provisions similar to that found in S. 300 which was not completed in the 110th Congress. By: Coalition for Airline Passengers Bill of Rights |
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