About the New Tarmac Time Data
What new data are the airlines reporting?
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics is requiring the
airlines that report on-time data to submit tarmac time data in three
additional categories beginning with flights operated in October 2008. They are:
- Flights that are subsequently
cancelled. These are flights
that leave the gate and then return to the gate before being
cancelled. Flights that leave the
gate, then take-off but then return to the gate at the origin airport are
also included.
- Diverted flights. These are flights that are diverted to
an alternative airport while airborne. Flights that end service at the diversion airport and flights that
continue to the scheduled destination are included in this category.
- Multiple gate departures. These are flights that leave the gate,
return to the gate, and depart the gate again before taking off. There may be one or more returns and
departures.
Why are these
reports now being required?
BTS is seeking to close a gap in the data on the length of
time passengers spend on planes on tarmacs. BTS data since 1995 includes taxi-out times (gate departure to
wheels-off) and taxi-in times (wheels-on to gate arrival). The data for flights that are subsequently
cancelled, that are diverted to alternative airports or have multiple gate
departures will provide a more complete picture of tarmac times.
What
airlines are required to file reports?
The new tarmac reports are required from the same airlines
that report monthly on-time data. These
are airlines with 1 percent of total domestic scheduled-service passenger
revenue. The list of reporting airlines
can be found here: http://www.bts.gov/help/aviation/index.html
For cancelled flights, what data will be reported?
For flights that leave the gate and are subsequently
cancelled, airlines will report the total time away from the gate and the
single longest time away from the gate. They will report these times for flights that
leave the gate and then return as well as for flights that take-off and then
return to the gate at the origin airport before being cancelled. Previously, BTS received no data on cancelled
flights other than the report that they were cancelled.
For diverted flights, what data will be reported?
For flights that are airborne but are then diverted to an
alternative airport, airlines will report the name of the diversion airport,
the total time on the tarmac at the diversion airport and the longest single
time on the tarmac. The same data will
be reported for any additional diversion airports. Airlines will also report whether the flight
reached its scheduled destination and the arrival time. BTS will not combine the arrival times at the
scheduled destination for diverted flights will not be compiled with existing
on-time arrival delays to maintain data comparability over time. Previously, BTS received data on flights until
they were diverted but the data stream ended once they were diverted.
For multiple gate departures, what data will be reported?
For flights that leave the gate, then return and then depart
again, airlines will report the total time away from the gate and the longest
single time away from the gate. The
final departure time will be used as departure time for on-time
calculations. Previously, airlines
reported gate departure times inconsistently. Some reported the first departure as the departure time while others
reported the final departure time.
How is tarmac time
calculated?
The tarmac time is any time away from the terminal while
passengers are required to be on the aircraft. It should be calculated from the time the aircraft door is locked or
unlocked.
Are there specific reporting requirements for
reporting of tarmac times and on-time data?
See BTS
Technical Directive # 17 issued on Aug. 12, 2008.
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