Jaunted

· Expect More Cancellations
You won’t be stuck on the tarmac for an endless amount of hours any longer, but you might be stuck at the gate for way longer than you intended. With the harsh penalties, the airlines are probably going to cancel flights a little more quickly than they have in the past. It’s not like they don’t have the equipment to get things done, but it’s more like they don’t want to get nailed with a fine.

· The Rules Are The Rules
Loads of airlines have been trying to weasel out of the rules by asking the Department of Transportation for a little slack. The DOT hasn’t budged a bit, so there aren’t any airlines that are excused from these new rules. Even airlines like Delta and JetBlue that face a tough summer filled with runway construction at JFK will need to ensure that passengers are in the sky before the timer hits 180 minutes.

· The Rules Are Made To Be Broken
Even though we just told you that there are no exceptions—there are some exceptions. Air traffic controllers can override the rules if they feel that sending an airplane back to the terminal will result in a significant disruption in the traffic at the airport. Also, pilots can keep passengers trapped in the back of the plane if they feel that there is a safety or security issue.

· Free Snacks For All
Once the clock has ticked past two hours, the airline need to bust out the beverage cart. Passengers should be provided with water and a light snack like peanuts or pretzels. The bathrooms also need to be functioning, so feel free to drink as much water as you’d like.

Related Stories:
· Passengers Face Scrapped Flights as Airlines Dodge Tarmac Fines [Bloomberg Businessweek]
· Tarmac Delay Rule to Go Into Effect This Week [CNN]
· Experiencing JFK Airport's Main Runway Closure From the Tarmac [Jaunted]

[Photo: Jaunted]