Tarmac Delay Rule - Final Rule / Regulatory Impact Analysis - DOT Issues Final Rule

The U.S. Department of Transportation is issuing a final rule to modify U.S. and foreign air carrier obligations with respect to tarmac delays.

USA, January 15, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The primary purpose of this rule is to implement changes to the FAA Extension Act regarding carrier obligations during an excessive tarmac delay. Nearly all of the provisions in this final rule are deregulatory, which would generate cost savings, or clarifications, which would result in no economic impact. Minimal costs may be associated with three provisions requiring carriers to: (1) report the length of the excessive tarmac delay if the length is not otherwise represented by the data listed under 14 CFR 244.3(a); (2) collect a new data point for the start time of a tarmac delay for enforcement purposes for departing flights, which would be the time the main aircraft door closes; and (3) collect a new data point for the time that carriers begin to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers on departing flights.

The Department expects the rule to generate cost savings and benefits to carriers and consumers due primarily to the new standard for departure delays. This rule also includes provisions to make conforming changes to carrier tarmac delay reporting and record keeping requirements, which reduce the burden on carriers. These cost savings and benefits are minimal and difficult to quantify, however, because annual tarmac delays have become relatively rare since the implementation of the 2009 Tarmac Delay Rule. In particular, the number of domestic tarmac delays lasting more than three hours declined from 1,081 in 2005 (15.1 delays per 100,000 flights) to 282 in 2019 (3.5 delays per 100,000 flights). The regulatory evaluation for the final rule has been placed in the docket.

Frank Avent
Airline Information Research
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