Tarmac Delays Contingency Plan

Tarmac Delays Contingency Plan (Irregular Operations Contingency Plan)

Paine Field Airport is owned and operated by Snohomish County, Washington. The airport does not currently maintain or operate a passenger terminal facility nor the equipment necessary to aid in the ingress or egress of commercial service. There is one passenger terminal facility on site operated by a developer known herein as Propeller Airports Paine Field. All diversions requesting loading and unloading passengers are subject to approval from the private terminal operator. Diversions unauthorized by the terminal operator will be forced to remain on the movement area until a window of opportunity to depart presents itself.

Propeller Airports Paine Field (PAPF) has prepared this Irregular Operations Contingency Plan pursuant to 49 USC §42301 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Questions regarding this plan can be directed to the Vice President of Terminal Operations Thomas Amano at tom@propellerairports.com. PAPF in conjunction with Snohomish County Airport – Paine Field is filing this plan with the Department of Transportation because (1) it is a commercial airport and (2) this airport may be used by air carrier described in 49 USC § USC 42301(a)(1) for diversions.

This plan describes how, the following excessive tarmac delays and to the extent practicable, Snohomish County Airport will:

• Provide for the departing of passengers;
• Provide for the sharing of facilities and gates available at the passenger terminal; and
• Provide a sterile area following excessive tarmac delays for passengers who have not yet cleared United States Customs & Border Protection (CBP).

Snohomish County Airport has facility constraints that limit its ability to accommodate diverted flights and maintain the airports safe operation and strongly encourages aircraft operators to contact Snohomish County Airport Operations and Propeller Airports – Airport Duty Manager for airside operations to coordinate details for diverted flights, except in the case of a declared in-flight emergency. Specific facility constraints include the following: jet bridge aircraft restrictions, limited gate space, and limited parking aprons. Air carriers unable to attain permission from the terminal operator will be stationed on Taxiway A. During diversion events Snohomish County Airport issues NOTAMs regarding its ability to accommodate diverted flights to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the airport and its ability to serve the civil aviation needs of the public during irregular operations events

Airport Information:

Name of Airport: Snohomish County Airport – Paine Field
Name and title of person preparing the plan: Thomas Amano, Vice President of Terminal Operations, Propeller Airports
Preparer contact number: (425) 216-3010
Preparer contact e-mail: tom@propellerairports.com 
Date of submission of plan: August 3, 2022
Airport Category: Non Hub

Contact Information:

Plan to Provide for the Deplanement of Passengers Following Excessive Tarmac Delays:

Propeller Airports Paine Field own and operate two jet bridges needed to safely deplane passengers. Passenger terminal personnel are not trained to assist in the deplanement of passengers using equipment operated by the air carrier, aircraft ground handling and passenger mobility service providers. However, PAPF and Snohomish County Airport will provide a list of airlines, ground handler and others who may have the necessary equipment and personnel to safely deplane passengers to airlines as soon as practicable after receiving requests from such airlines experiencing excessive tarmac delays at the contact number listed above.

Plan to provide for the sharing of facilities and make gates available in an emergency:

The gates at Snohomish County Airport are under preferential lease to air carriers and are fully controlled by Propeller Airports during those time periods when the tenant’s usage of that gate meets the usage specifying the preferential use lease. We will direct a tenant airline to accommodate another air carrier aircraft at its preferentially leased gate during those time periods when the tenant airline is not using, or not scheduled to use, the gates. We will direct our tenant air carriers to make gates and other facilities available to an air carrier seeking to deplane at a gate during those time periods the gates are not in use or not scheduled to be in use, to the maximum extent practicable.

Plan to Provide a Sterile Area for Passengers Who Have Not Cleared United States Customs and Border Protection:

Neither Snohomish County Airport nor PAPF have international passenger processing facilities. We will coordinate with CBP and local law enforcement officials to identify suitable areas and procedures for establishing a temporary sterile area into which international passengers on diverted aircraft who have not yet cleared United States Customs and Border Protection can be deplaned. Once these efforts are complete, we will coordinate with local CBP officials to develop procedures that will allow international passengers who have not yet cleared United

States Customs and Border Protection to be deplaned into these sterile areas to the extent practicable.

Public Access to the Emergency Contingency Plan:

Snohomish County Airport will provide public access to its Tarmac Delay Contingency plan by posting in a conspicuous location on the Airport’s website.

Paine Field Snohomish County Airport: https://www.painefield.com 

Propeller Airports Paine Field: https://flypainefield.com 

Link to approved Tarmac Delays Contingency Plan (2022)