Delta, JetBlue Want Tarmac Delay Exemption

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

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The Associated Press (AP) reports that Delta and JetBlue have asked for a temporary exemption from the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) forthcoming tarmac delays rules. The two carriers are concerned that service at New York’s JFK airport will suffer severe setbacks if the rule is enforced while the airport’s main runway is closed for repairs. JetBlue and Delta are the biggest operators at JFK, and could lose millions if the runway causes widespread delays.

In a letter to the DOT, JetBlue said, “Although JetBlue has already taken several steps to minimize the impact of this closure on its J.F.K. operations, this exemption is necessary to ensure that JetBlue is not penalized if J.F.K. becomes gridlocked at peak operating times.”

The fine is set to take effect April 29, and will charge airlines $27,500 per passenger that is delayed on the tarmac for more than three hours. For context, a full Boeing 737 would rack up $3.5 million in fines, according to the AP.

JFK is already one of the worst airports in the country when it comes to on-time performance. The runway repair is expected to add to the problem, and even caused two-hour inbound delays on the first day of construction.

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