Deluge created tarmac delays

Houston’s Memorial Day deluge triggered 10 tarmac delays lasting more than three hours at its airports, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported Tuesday.

In all, airlines reported 14 tarmac delays lasting more than three hours on domestic flights and two tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights in May, the Air Travel Consumer Report shows. All of the reported tarmac delays are under investigation by the federal agency.

Airlines operating international flights are prohibited from allowing tarmac delays longer than four hours at U.S. airports without giving passengers the opportunity to deplane. The time limit is three hours on domestic flights.

The department allows exceptions for these time limits for domestic and international flights for safety, security or reasons related to air traffic control.

The department requires all U.S. and foreign airlines operating at least one aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats to report the lengthy delays at the airports.

The Houston Airport System declined to comment on the report, directing any questions to air-

lines that fly out of Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports.

The airport, however, controls the gates and how aircraft move down the runways. The consumer report did not identify which airlines reported delays.

Houston-based airline consultant Jack Stelzer said a storm the size of the Memorial Day one would have the potential to leave many aircraft on the tarmac for hours. When flights are grounded, some aircraft won’t be able to get to gates.

Airports become congested during prolonged periods of inclement weather, he said.

“Everything shuts down,” Stelzer said. “There is no place to bring in planes or take off. It becomes a compounding issue.”

He also said weather problems can affect travel across the country, particularly in Houston. The majority of flights that go through Houston’s airports are connecting flights.

“Those acts of God or acts of nature are the types of things that disrupt everything from an airline perspective,” he said. “It can be a really terrible experience for the customers as well as the pilots and flight attendants.”

U.S. airlines improved on-time arrival rates in May with 80.5 percent, up from 76.9 percent last year, the consumer report also found.