TARMAC - Delay Contingency Plan

TARMAC - Delay Contingency Plan

In accordance with Regulation 14 CFR Parts 244 and 259, of the United States Department of Transportation, Iberia established a Contingency Plan to mitigate the inconvenience caused to aircraft passengers during prolonged delays on the runway. This Plan applies to all flights that Iberia operates at airports in the United States and has been coordinated with the airport authorities at all the airports where it operates, as well as airports in the United States to which operations could be diverted due to circumstances beyond its control. Iberia has also coordinated this Contingency Plan with the Customs Authority (Customs and Border Protection Office [CBP]) and the Transportation Security Administration [TSA]).

In the unlikely event of a prolonged delay on board the aircraft before take-off or on landing, our Operational Control Centre will coordinate the application of our Plan with the Pilot of the aircraft, the airport operational team and the airport authorities.

Delays on board the plane are situations that Iberia does its best to avoid. There are times when boarding gate restrictions, visibility, airport conditions, technical problems, air traffic control requirements or other circumstances beyond our control may cause unavoidable delays on the ground. In these cases, Iberia will guarantee the following:

• The aircraft will not remain on the apron for more than four (4) hours before allowing passengers to disembark from the aircraft, unless:

  • The pilot determines that there are security or operational reasons that prevent the aircraft from leaving its position on tarmac to allow passengers to disembark; or:

  • Air Traffic Control (ATC) issues a warning that returning to the gate or another point to disembark could seriously disrupt airport operations.

• For delays approaching two (2) hours, if the Pilot in command of the aircraft deems it safe, Iberia will provide passengers with suitable food and water.

• For all flights, Iberia will guarantee that the toilets will be available while the aircraft remains on the runway. Iberia also guarantees that there will be suitable medical care. If a serious medical problem should arise, the Iberia flight will return to the gate as soon as possible.

• The status of the delay will be displayed every 30 minutes while the aircraft is delayed, this will include the reasons for the delay if known. Iberia will give passengers the opportunity to disembark from the plane if the aircraft is at the boarding gate or in some other disembarkation area where the door can be opened, and passengers will be notified every 30 minutes as long as the possibility of disembarking actually exists.

• Iberia has done everything it is required to do to ensure that it has sufficient resources to implement the contingency plan for prolonged delays on the tarmac when this is necessary.