Guidebook for Airport Irregular Operations (IROPS) Contingency Planning (2012)

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Appendix B – Glossary of Terms 239 APPENDIX B – GLOSSARY OF TERMS “3-Hour Rule” – In April 2010 the United States DOT issued rulemaking on enhancing airline passenger protections (14 CFR Part 259 Enhanced Protections for Airline Passengers), which established rules covering domestic air carriers and prohibiting a domestic flight from remaining on the tarmac for more than 3 hours without allowing passengers to deplane subject to safety, security, and ATC exceptions. It also required (among other things) domestic airlines to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays for scheduled and public charter flights at large and medium hub airports. (DOT-OST-2007-0022) “4-Hour Rule” – In April 2011 the United States DOT updated its rulemaking on enhancing airline passenger protections (14 CFR Part 259 Enhanced Protections for Airline Passengers), which extended rules to include foreign air carriers and prohibited an international flight from remaining on the tarmac for more than 4 hours without allowing passengers to deplane subject to safety, security, and ATC exceptions. It also required (among other things) international airlines to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays and expanded the airports at which all airlines must adhere to the contingency plan terms to include small hub and non-hub airports, including diversion airports. Carriers are required to coordinate their contingency plans with all of these airports as well as CBP and TSA. (DOT-OST-2010-0140) 14 CFR Part 382 (Americans with Disabilities Act) – Establishes requirements for ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities for any public entity that provides designated public transportation. After-Hours Operations – Operations of service providers that are outside of their normal working business hours. Air-Carrier Aircraft – An aircraft that is being operated by an air carrier and is categorized as either a large air-carrier aircraft if designed for at least 31 passenger seats or a small air-carrier aircraft if designed for more than nine passenger seats but less than 31 passenger seats, as determined by the aircraft type certificate issued by a competent civil aviation authority (14 CFR 139.5). General aviation aircraft include all other civilian- owned and -operated aircraft. Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (AOSSP) – A program under the TSA aimed at increasing security during a time of evolving threats to commercial airlines. This program is issued to United States airlines with scheduled passenger service and public charter operations flying from the sterile area of airports. Airline – An air transportation system including its equipment, routes, operating personnel, and management. Airport – An area of land or other hard surface, excluding water, that is used or intended to be used for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, including any buildings and facilities (14 CFR 139.5). Airport Operator – The operator (public or private) or sponsor of a public-use airport. Airport Security Program – A program that has been approved by TSA and provides for the safety and security of persons and property on an aircraft operating in air transportation or intrastate air transportation against an act of criminal violence, aircraft piracy, or the introduction of an unauthorized weapon, explosive, or incendiary onto an aircraft. (49 CFR Ch. XII § 1542.101) PA R T 2 PA R T 1 R eso urce A R eso urce B R eso urce C R eso urce D A p p end ices B ib lio g rap hy

240 Guidebook for Airport Irregular Operations (IROPS) Contingency Planning PA R T 2 PA R T 1 R es o ur ce A R es o ur ce B R es o ur ce C R es o ur ce D A p p en d ic es B ib li o g ra p hy Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations – Field Operations Offices provide guidance to their regional ports and ensure the dissemination and implementation of core CBP guidelines. Offices also provide for mission support functions within their regions. Concessionaire – The owner or operator of a concession (e.g., restaurants, snack stands). Customers – Includes passengers and other non-aviation service personnel such as meeters and greeters who are in the terminal area. Diversion Airports – Airport(s) surrounding an airport that are identified as diversion locations by airlines and which are intended to be used as alternate landing locations should the pilot need to divert. Diverted Flight – A flight operated from the scheduled origin point to a point other than the scheduled destination point in the carrier’s published schedule. For example, a carrier has a published schedule for a flight from A to B to C. If the carrier were to actually fly an A to C operation, the A to B segment is a diverted flight, and the B to C segment is a cancelled flight. (United States DOT definition) Emergency Operations Center – A central command and control facility that is responsible for carrying out emergency management functions in an emergency situation. Emergency Response Providers – Any agency providing emergency assistance, such as airport police, local police, fire departments, and paramedics. Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections – A rule issued by the United States DOT that improves the air travel environment for consumers. One key provision of this rule is the requirement of air carriers (both domestic and international) to adopt and adhere to tarmac delay contingency plans. This rule establishes the “3-Hour Rule” and “4-Hour Rule,” which require air carriers to allow passengers to deplane after being out on the tarmac for 3 hours (domestic flights) or 4 hours (international flights). Extended Ground Delays – Events that disrupt optimized flight schedules and negatively affect the normal flow of passengers through the air transportation system (i.e., severe weather, air traffic control programs, airport service issues, and airline operations difficulties). The outcome includes crowded terminal spaces, distressed passengers, swamped airline passenger service agents, and other situations that will demand the attention of the airport and airline. From the United States DOT’s Development of Contingency Plans for Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – The United States government agency responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient use of the nation’s airports and airspace. For the purposes of this guidebook, references to the FAA include all forms of air traffic control (ATC) services. Federal Inspection Station – A CBP facility set up to screen passengers and cargo at ports of entry throughout the United States. General Aviation Aircraft – All civilian aircraft not owned or operated for commercial passenger transport. General Aviation Airport – A public use airport that is primarily focused on serving general aviation aircraft and is closed to air carrier operations except in unusual circumstances such as emergencies. Government Agencies – Including but not limited to the FAA, TSA, and CBP, agencies that operate at an airport or affect an airport’s operation.

Appendix B – Glossary of Terms 241 PA R T 2 PA R T 1 R eso urce A R eso urce B R eso urce C R eso urce D A p p end ices B ib lio g rap hy Ground Transportation Providers – All transportation entities that provide transportation service for passengers and customers, including but not limited to rental car agencies (on- and off-site), taxi companies, and local mass transit entities. Irregular Operations (IROPS) – Exceptional events that require actions and/or capabilities beyond those considered usual by aviation service providers. Generally speaking, an impact of these events is the occurrence of passengers experiencing delays, often in unexpected locations for an undetermined amount of time. Examples include extreme weather events (such as snowstorms, hurricanes, tornados), geological events (such as earthquakes, volcanoes), and other events (such as power outages or security breaches). IROPS Champion – The point person who has been identified by an airport’s management as responsible for handling coordination between all service providers and developing an airport’s IROPS plan. Large Hub Airport – An airport that accounts for at least 1.00 percent of the total enplanements in the United States. (United States DOT definition) Late Flight – A flight that arrives at the gate 15 minutes or more after its published arrival time. (United States DOT definition) Medium Hub Airport – An airport accounting for at least 0.25 percent but less than 1.00 percent of the total enplanements in the United States. (United States DOT definition) Movement Area – The runways, taxiways, and other areas of an airport that are used for taxiing or hover taxiing, air taxiing, takeoff, and landing of aircraft, exclusive of loading ramps (apron areas) and aircraft parking areas. (14 CFR 139.3) On-Time Flight – A flight that arrives less than 15 minutes after its published arrival time. (United States DOT definition) Overnight Accommodations – Including but not limited to hotels, Red Cross, and other facilities that could house passengers should an IROPS event occur. Passengers – Includes people traveling, service animals in the cabin, and live cargo on board aircraft and in the terminal area. Passenger Core Needs – From the United States DOT’s Development of Contingency Plans for Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays: • Information (Flight status, gate status): Information provided to the passenger so as to keep passenger informed on status of situation – situational awareness • Communication (Cell phone usage, rebooking): Means of enabling the passenger to communicate • Food/hydration (Grab-and-go food and water): Types of sustenance made available to passengers • Cleanliness (Availability of clean and serviceable restrooms): A means to address bodily needs and maintain personal hygiene • Special Services (Oxygen, medicine): A means to address health-related needs

242 Guidebook for Airport Irregular Operations (IROPS) Contingency Planning • Executable plan to deplane aircraft: Provide concise information on steps that will be taken after a period of time Public Airport – An airport used or intended to be used for public purposes, which is under the control of a public agency, and of which the area used or intended to be used for landing, taking off, or surface maneuvering of aircraft is publicly owned. [49 USC § 47102 (16)]. Refuelers – Fuel providers who supply fuel to customers at an airport and who may assist in the refueling of aircraft. Service Providers – All entities at an airport that provide services for customers and passengers, including but not limited to airports, airlines, concessionaires, ground transportation agencies, government agencies, FBOs, overnight accommodations (e.g., hotels, Red Cross), emergency response (e.g., police, fire, EMT), military (if joint-use facility), and diversion airports. Tarmac Delay – The holding of an aircraft on the ground either before taking off or after landing with no opportunity for its passengers to deplane. Trigger Event – A specific event that leads to the initiation of communication, a decision, or action. A “trigger event” normally is a warning cue that personnel should begin preparations to deal with irregular operations to mitigate effects on passengers. Each aviation service provider should have established trigger events and associated decision-making criteria to determine the timing and scale of their response efforts. The aviation service provider response efforts can involve multiple aviation service providers based on the determined scale of the response effort. The information that decision makers rely on often comes from multiple aviation service providers. As a result, collaboration across aviation service responders is important to foster well-informed decision making and well-defined response efforts. Unites States DOT National Task Force to Develop Model Contingency Plans to Deal with Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays – A temporary organization of individuals appointed by the Secretary of Transportation that was formed to study and develop recommendations for meeting customer needs. In November 2008 the task force released its recommendations in a document called Development of Contingency Plans for Lengthy Airline On-Board Ground Delays. PA R T 2 PA R T 1 R es o ur ce A R es o ur ce B R es o ur ce C R es o ur ce D A p p en d ic es B ib li o g ra p hy