Travel News

Tarmac Delays Vanish With DOT Rules, Other Airline Problems Remain

Locations in this article:  Atlanta, GA Los Angeles, CA

Tarmac Delays Down Thanks To DOT Rules But Problems Remain For AirlinesA year after the Department of Transportation (DOT) implemented a rule that would fine airlines for lengthy delays, the latest government figures show a significant drop in tarmac delays of more than three hours.

The most recent Air Travel Consumer Report, which is released monthly by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, showed only 20 tarmac delays of more than three hours between May 2010 and April 2011, the first full year of data since the rule went into effect.

Prior to the rule’s implementation, there were 693 delays of three hours or more between May 2009 and April 2010.

Three of the four offenders in April 2011 were Delta flights out of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, the busiest airport in the country.

Last year, the DOT implemented the rule that threatened fines as high as $27,000 per passenger on flights with long delays. Violating the rule could result in fines of $3.5 million for one delayed Boeing 757.

Previously: New DOT Rules: Tarmac Delays Down, Cancellations Up

Lengthy Tarmac Waits VanishThere have been 183 allegations of rule violations in the past year, but investigations saw proof of only 20 legitimate complaints.

Currently, no fines have been issued against airlines for breaking this rule.

Critics feared that that the threat of steep fines would result in a drastic increase in flight cancellations. Per the DOT’s most recent report, of the 6 million flights in the past year, there have been 387 flight cancellations, which is only a slight increase from the previous year’s 336 canceled flights.

While the report shows a general improvement in air travel, there are still areas that need work.

The country’s 16 largest airlines have reported an on-time rate of 75.5 percent, which is down significantly from last year’s rate of 85.5 percent.

The report also saw an increase in mishandled baggage with 150,600 reports filed in the past year, versus 131,000 filed in the year before.

By Lily J. Kosner for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related Links: Air Travel Consumer Reports, DOT PR, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, CNN

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