Long Tarmac Delay Plan
Care Plan for Lengthy Delays on Tarmac Flights departing and arriving to the United States of America
Update: August 20, 2011
The operating plan of Aeromexico, Aeromexico Connect and Aeromexico Travel (hereinafter called Aeromexico) is designed to anticipate, adjust to, and reduce affectations generated by delays with passengers onboard the aircraft, with the doors closed, departing or arriving at airports in the United States. The Operational Control Center (CCO) of Aeromexico is the entity responsible for follow-up of this plan, as applicable, which is based on two main premises, Safety of and Service to our customers.
For operations of our flights in airports of the United States of America, the Department of Transportation (DOT) specifies the care rule for delay on the tarmac called “TARMAC DELAY”. Aeromexico, in its operating plans, complies with each of the premises and time limits established in this rule (14 CFR 244), however the following exceptions might limit our service actions:
- Safety reasons.
- Air Traffic Control issues (ATC), when the Captain-in-command is notified that the return to the Terminal would affect the airport operations.
Plan Requirements
The Aeromexico Emergency Plan guarantees that we have enough resources and that we will comply with the DOT requirements for lengthy delays on the tarmac including diversions. Our plan considers delays that exceed four (4) hours waiting onboard our aircrafts departing airports of the United States of America. This plan guarantees that we will make our best effort to cover everything related to food and drinking water within the two (02) hours following the time the aircraft left the gate (in case of departures) or landed (in case of arrivals) if the aircraft remains on the tarmac, unless the Captain-in-command determines, for safety reasons for these services to be excluded; working lavatories, medical care, and other needs for our customers’ comfort. This plan is coordinated with airport authorities for its application.
Responsibilities.
The CCO is the entity responsible for managing the plan. Decision making for this plan is carried out in the CCO. The Airport Manager and his/her Customer Service personnel at the airport, as well as the crew personnel onboard, will carry out the plan during the flight according to their sphere of competence.
Plan at Airports
Our plan is based on the standard operating procedures in force to handle flight delays and diversions. All stations where Aeromexico flights operate have resources and procedures developed that will allow for Aeromexico to take care of a flight awaiting authorization to take-off, including the possibility of opening the boarding door and offering the alternative to the passengers of deplaning within the time limits established by the DOT.
The stations will make sure that diversions have the same priority than other tarmac delays, which means that deplaning of passengers will be allowed before 4 hours. The plans take into consideration a minimum period of 60 minutes to request the return to the gate and to coordinate the deplaning.
Each airport has plans coordinated with local government offices and agencies to comply with the requirements of waiting time, supply, and service to the aircraft.
Our personnel both at airports as well as onboard the aircraft will make announcements as applicable and according to each event, indicating:
- Cause of delay and estimated departure time
- Planned hour for boarding
There will be constant communication between the CCO of Aeromexico and the crew of our flights during the delay of the flight. Our Airport Manager, the Customer Service personnel, and the crew will seek to control the general environment and the “mood” of our customers while onboard the aircraft according to the plan defined by the CCO. The decisions taken in these cases shall have the primordial objective of safety and comfort of all passengers that are onboard an Aeromexico affected flight.
Please see:
Customer Service Plan
Contract of Carriage
Service Fees and excess Baggage Charges
