Long tarmac delays are on the rise at U.S. airports. What airlines owe inconvenienced passengers depends on the length of the holdup and what country they’re in.
The airplane’s cabin doors closed hours ago, you’re fastened into your seat and you’re still on the ground, going nowhere fast. What gives?
Tarmac delays may be routine, but that doesn’t make them any less of a nightmare. And these instances of passenger purgatory only seem to be getting more frequent for airlines flying in and out of the United States.
Lengthy tarmac delays — defined as more than three hours on domestic flights and exceeding four hours on international flights — have jumped. Last year, airlines reported 437 long tarmac delays on domestic flights, compared with 289 in 2023, and 61 on international flights, compared with 35 in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. For domestic flights, these delays have been on a steady uptick, more than doubling from 2018 to 2024.
Here’s what passengers should know about tarmac delays and what they’re owed when they happen.
You may never know why you’re stuck.
Weather, air traffic control, and safety, maintenance or operational issues can all cause tarmac delays. Travelers may or may not know the reason their flight is held up. Though most carriers pledge to give passengers regular status updates when a delay exceeds a half-hour, not all promise to share the cause. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines say on their websites that they will. Others, including Southwest Airlines, do not.
Experts say there is no definitive explanation for last year’s spike in long tarmac delays. Frequent thunderstorms could be at fault, said Michael McCormick, a professor of air traffic management at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, while John Cox, a former airline pilot who runs a safety consulting firm, said busier flying schedules may have stressed airline operations.
You may be entitled to some basic assistance.
During tarmac delays, airlines are generally required to give passengers food and drink and to provide working toilets, a comfortable cabin temperature and medical assistance.