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Table 1 Summary of Three-Hour Tarmac Times Jan 2009
Table 1 Summary of Three-Hour Tarmac Times Jan 2009
Number and Percent of Flights with Tarmac Times of Three Hours
or More
For an explanation of the new reports, see
New Tarmac Time Data Q&A
Airlines ranked by number of tarmac times of three hours or
longer
| Number of Regularly Scheduled Flights | Tarmac Times of 3 Hours or Longer | Stage of Operation of the 3-Hour Tarmac Time | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total* | Percent | Prior to Cancellation | Multiple Gate Departure | Taxi-Out | Taxi-In | At Diversion Airport | ||
| American | 47,739 | 12 | 0.03 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Comair | 12,713 | 11 | 0.09 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| United | 31,508 | 10 | 0.03 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| SkyWest | 44,443 | 8 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| US Airways | 35,934 | 7 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| ExpressJet | 23,242 | 6 | 0.03 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Northwest | 22,945 | 5 | 0.02 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| American Eagle | 34,937 | 5 | 0.01 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Delta | 36,066 | 4 | 0.01 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Pinnacle | 22,287 | 4 | 0.02 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| AirTran | 19,450 | 4 | 0.02 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Southwest | 96,109 | 4 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlantic Southeast | 23,307 | 3 | 0.01 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Continental | 21,298 | 2 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mesa | 19,418 | 1 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| JetBlue | 16,261 | 1 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Frontier | 7,197 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hawaiian | 6,273 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alaska | 11,212 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 532,339 | 87 | 0.02 | 7 | 10 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
* Includes one flight with two separate three-hour tarmac times. Northwest Flight 1491 on Jan. 28 was on the tarmac for 188 minutes before returning to the gate. The flight departed the gate a second time and was on the tarmac for 199 minutes before wheels-off. Details of the flight are listed as a three-hour Multiple Gate Departure and a three-hour Taxi-out. Table 12 of the DOT Air Travel Consumer Report lists number of flights with three-hour tarmac times and counts NW Flight 1491 as a single flight.
Explanation of Stage of Operation
Prior to Cancellation:
Flight left the gate but was cancelled at the origin airport
Multiple Gate Departure: Flight left the gate, then returned and
then left again to resume normal operation.
Tarmac time is the time before the return to the gate.
Taxi-out: The time between gate departure and wheels-off
Taxi-in: The time between wheels-on and gate arrival
At Diversion Airport: The tarmac time at the alternate airport