Tarmac Delay Plan

Overview

Before delays occur, Cayman Airways has a comprehensive plan designed to forecast and adjust to operational challenges and minimize lengthy delays while passengers are on board the aircraft. The System Operation Control Centre (SOC) at Cayman Airways headquarters is responsible for the daily execution plan, while keeping in mind the safety and well being of our customers.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) tarmac delay rule establishes hard time limits for tarmac delays. Cayman Airways plan meets or exceeds all limits imposed by this ruling. Cayman Airways has developed a detailed plan, to account for those times when unforeseen constraints causes taxi delays.

The following exceptions to the hard time limits apply to international flights:

Safety or security reasons -
Air traffic Control (ATC) advises that the Pilot-in-Command that returning to the terminal would disrupt airport operations.

Plan Requirement

Cayman Airways contingency plan assures that we have sufficient resources and will meet the requirements of the DOT for extended tarmac delays, including diversions. This includes the four hour time limit for international flights. This plan ensures that Cayman Airways will meet or exceed specified guidelines as it pertains to provisioning.

The following will be our standards; (unless the pilot-in-command determines that safety or security considerations preclude such service)

• adequate food and potable water, no later than two hours after the aircraft leaves the gate (in the case of a departure) or touches down (in the case of an arrival) if the aircraft remains on the tarmac
• operable lavatory facilities
• adequate medical facilities and medical attention
• other customer comfort needs as may be required 

Depending on the circumstances of the delay, the aircraft catering provision and local airport catering supplies, adequate food may only be a snack (i.e. pretzels/chips etc) and at the very least, customers will be offered drinking water, if not a full beverage service. It is possible that if a snack/meal and beverage services are provided on the ground during the delay event that certain snack/meal and beverage services will not be made available during flight once the aircraft has departed. 
Customers are encouraged to make appropriate preparations for air travel such as bringing essential needs onboard the aircraft in accordance with advised carry-on restrictions, including medicines and other medically required items, baby and child care products (i.e. diapers) and other items essential to personal health and communication requirements. Cayman Airways in most cases will not have such products available for customers.

Responsibility

The System Operation Control Centre (SOC) is responsible for the management, coordination and quality of the plan.

Station Plan

The plan builds upon the standard operation procedures now in place to handle extended on-board delays and diversions. All stations have indentified resources and developed procedures that will allow them to effectively bring a plane off the runaway and open the door giving the passengers the opportunity to deplane with specified time limits.
Stations will assure that diversions are given the same priority as other taxi delays, meaning passenger egress will be allowed prior to the four hour mark. Individual station plans should allow at least 30 minutes (or as much as 60 minutes at larger stations) to complete the task of returning to the gate and deplaning.  All stations have coordinated plans with Airport Operations and local government agencies to meet the tarmac-delay rules requirements. This includes back up methods for inoperative equipment and the provision   and serving of aircraft customer service divisions have prepared gate announcements to be used as appropriate.

Cayman Airways will make decisions for the well-being of all customers aboard the affected flight.