Tarmac Rule Exemptions: JetBlue, Delta Seek Escape From New Rule

NEW YORK — JetBlue and Delta want temporary exemptions from a new government rule that will limit the time passengers can be held on the tarmac. They say delays caused by the closure of the main runway at New York's JFK airport could cost them millions in fines.

The Department of Transportation's new rule, which goes into effect April 29, orders airlines to let passengers off planes delayed for three hours or face hefty fines. In December there were 22 flights nationwide that were delayed for more than three hours from gate to departure. The new DOT rule could slap an airline with a fine of $27,500 per passenger for that kind of delay. For an average Boeing 737 with a full load of passengers, the fine could be around $3.5 million.

JetBlue and Delta are the biggest operators at JFK, an airport that was among the worst in the nation for delays last year. The JFK runway closed March 1. That is already causing delays and they could get worse.

May is the first full month the new DOT rule will be in effect. It also is the start of the peak travel season. The airlines have already cut their schedules by about 10 percent to help ease delays until the runway reopens in July. About one-third of JFK's traffic and half of its departures are now diverted to three smaller runways.

"Although JetBlue has already taken several steps to minimize the impact of this closure on its JFK operations, this exemption is necessary to ensure that JetBlue is not penalized if JFK becomes gridlocked at peak operating times," the airline said in its request to DOT.

The Federal Aviation Administration expects delays at JFK will average about 50 minutes during peak times and 29 minutes at other times during the four-month shutdown. That is about the same as delays on busy summer days.

The airlines aren't just worried about New York delays. Airport construction and other disruptions at a major airport often have a ripple effect on many flights because pilots, flight attendants and airplanes that are needed elsewhere during the day are held up.

"One late flight may delay three additional flights if the resources connect differently, and two or more late flights may delay several more flights," JetBlue said.

Major cities that are most effected by delays at JFK are Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orlando, Florida.

One-third of the nation's air traffic goes in, out, or over New York airspace every day – accounting for three-quarters of all chronic airline delays, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Comments

[mdlawyer2]

01:48 PM on 03/11/2010

There's no fine if the airline let's the passengers off the plane within the 3 hour limit. So why do they an exemption? That's right, if they let the CATTLE off the plane, they will lose revenue (people will find other flights or other transportation). Nice to know your time, comfort and safety are secondary to the profits of Delta and JetBlue.

[winningticket]

03:07 PM on 03/10/2010

I took an Amtrak this weekend and I loved every minute of it. You can keep your airplanes and cars.

[lightningbolt]

01:48 PM on 03/10/2010

We really need to start building a good nationwide passenger train system to bypass these horrible airlines.

[lightningbolt]

01:47 PM on 03/10/2010

Keeping people on the tarmac for many hours should be considered torture. JetBlue and Delta are going to lose more customers and more money if they keep insisting on this outrageous exemption.

[JNarragansett]

11:10 AM on 03/10/2010

Avoid Delta if you want to arrive with your things. Delta lost my bags on the way to a funeral, and then on the way to a wedding. Their response to all requests for assistance in locating my bags was "the law does not require that." Over this last christmas, people missed their vacations, or arrived a week after their initial departure while first class seats flew empty. Their corporate policy is to force coach passengers to wait instead of filling an empty seat. Other airlines were able to accommodate or at least communicate to passengers during the snowstorm. Delta called the police when people started to get upset. They have proven time and time again that they are unwilling to respond to customer complaints or demands and do nothing more than the law commands. They want to manipulate the political economy now as it is easier than serving the market economy of customers.

[ibsteve2u]

11:05 AM on 03/10/2010

Don't reckon it will get any better. A lot of our infrastructure - to include our airports - are deteriorating.

The Republicans further enriched the few at the expense of the future.

[Pippen]

11:04 AM on 03/10/2010

My question would be, 'whats the delay' ? The tarmac ? The maintenance for the strip itself ? Seems odd in a time where labor is flowing over the cup.

There's more to this than meets the eye.

If I were a passenger sitting on an airplane for 3+ hours and detained by airplane security I'd opt for a jail cell, at least there you get to stretch your legs and can later sue for damages.

Breathing the same air of 100+ passengers for 3+ hours is probably not the healthiest scenario either.

Airline executives have to be the gravest sincerest idiots on the planet. I'll tell you what I'll do, IF THE EXECUTIVE WHO BACKS LONGER WAIT TIMES WILL SIT WITH ME ON THE PLANE FOR THE THREE + HOURS, I'LL DO NOTHING, JUST SIT AND WAIT.

If the Executive(s) don't want to sit with me for 3+ hours then I'd like door #2 where I get to kick them square in the ass. After that I'll go back to my seat and wait.

My time is worth his paycheck : If door #1 and door#2 are not acceptable to the airline, I'll take door #3..... a comparable portion of his check for 3+ hours. If he makes 150K large, I'll be expecting $235.00 per hour that I wait specifically from his or her check.

There you have three wonderful options.

[ibsteve2u]

11:07 AM on 03/10/2010

lollll....expect you better multiply your take-home out of his check.

By at least 10.

[alreadybad]

12:14 PM on 03/10/2010

Let me know if and when you get a response because I want a seat where I can watch all of this go down. Tell the exec your fans are waiting for an answer on your offer and get back to us, lol. Let's see if anyone of them have the balls, bet not.