Mon, Nov 14, 2011
Will Review Proposed Steps To Avoid Lengthy Tarmac Delays
During Winter Storms
In preparation for the upcoming winter storm season, U.S.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy
Babbitt are convening a Forum on Wednesday, November 30 to find
better ways to manage aircraft diversions. Participants in the
forum will review a series of proposed steps to improve travel for
passengers who are diverted from their destination because of bad
weather.
“During severe weather situations, we want to do
everything we can to make sure passengers are flown to airports
that are ready and prepared and where passengers can get off the
plane quickly,” said Secretary LaHood.
The forum will take place in Department of Transportation
headquarters in Washington, D.C. and will include air traffic
controllers, pilots, aircraft dispatchers, airport operators, and
officials from other government agencies and the aviation
community.
The participants will discuss all of the factors that influence
diversion decisions and airport capacity in bad weather situations,
including the status of navigation equipment, aircraft parking and
gate availability, Customs capacity, refueling and de-icing assets,
jetway and air stair access and general ramp operations and
security.
“We can’t control the weather, but we can improve
the way diversions are handled,” said FAA Administrator Randy
Babbitt.
The FAA is asking forum participants to bring ideas and best
practices to the discussion. The FAA is proposing a new,
web-based airport status tool that would present real-time
information about each airport during a severe weather event to
help airlines make fully informed decisions about where to divert.
The FAA is also proposing including more airports in daily
strategic planning conference calls during severe weather events to
improve the information flow about which airports can accommodate
diversions and would encourage airport contingency plans.
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