We monitor ours and anything more than 90 minutes is evaluated with the airline to decide on a course of action with the affected aircraft.

Airline Fined $900,000 For Lengthy Tarmac Delays

I think the easiest way for airlines to dodge the fines is to just cancell the flights, then whats going to happen, Will FAA start imposing fines on airlines for cancelling flights?

Saw this in the daily AAAE email: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-03/snowbound-jets-on-u-s-tarmacs-spur-call-for-tougher-rules-1-.html

FlyersRights.org is saying airports should have backups or face fines.

David,

    You are right on track with my thoughts on this issue, as Brandi mentioned I do think the airport should make an effort to help out an airline having problems, but I don't think it should be the airport responsibility.  Working at an east coast airport, we see our share of diversions being so close to major hubs such as NY and Washington and PHL but, there comes a time when you need to turn on the NO VACANCY sign,  I just hope that there is no future legislation that would make an airport accountable for this type of unforseen circumstance.  Thank you both for your feedback. 

Just from what I have read, several airlines ran into problems at Bradley that day.  My guess would be many airlines listed Bradley as their alternate that day, and when things went to pot in NYC, they all picked the same diversion field.  A little more coordination among ATC and carriers that day might have spread out some of the diversions to keep one airport from getting overloaded, besides being another airport in the path of the same weather system. I also heard there were some international diverts that had issues due to a lack of customs personnel being on hand to process the flights.

I recently attended a regional workshop on IROPS that the Minneapolis airport held.  We discussed a lot of these types of issues with representatives from many airports, carriers, and government agencies. 

David,

Very well put. Now I am curious about the specifics for this incident! If it came down to equipment, staffing, logistics, poor desicion making, $, or politics.

The issue is, does the airport have the staff and equipment to handle aircraft?  Here we do not.  We do how ever monitor aircraft movements and can encourage either airlines or the FBO to do something, and aid them in any way we can.

The recording that has been played in the media is the JetBlue pilot pleading with ATC to tow him in to a gate.  At least to my knowledge, ATC does not have that authority, I doubt the ariport itself has tugs or authority to move an aircraft.

Unfortunately, as Brandi put it, the general public does not understand the difference between airline vs airport.  The only thing I could see the airport being able to do, is to limit the number of diversions by closing the airport before getting overwhelmed.  The airport's IROPS planning should include a thorough parking management plan, and a set amount of aircraft that they can accept.  After that, send them somewhere else. 

I think that at a certain point the airport needs to step in. Overall it is the airlines responsiblity and we are all not aware of the specific factors with the incident but I would have stepped in. Open a gate. stair truck, something....

The general public is not aware of airline vs airport policy and procedure so they just point to both! Obviously it gets to a point that negative press will be involved which will most likely reflect not only the airline but the airport aswell. Again, Jet Blue and the airport should have utilized their resources differently and worked together after a few hours. This is my opinion not procedure.