Last Updated: June 17, 2021

Before delays occur, Scott Aviation, LLC dba Silver Air (“Silver Air”) has a comprehensive plan designed to forecast and adjust to operational challenges and minimize lengthy delays while passengers are on board the aircraft.  The operations department located at Silver Air’s corporate offices has sufficient resources and is responsible for the daily execution of this plan, while keeping in mind the safety and well being of all passengers and customers.

In accordance with the Department of Transportation’s tarmac delay rules and hard time limits set, Silver Air meets or exceeds these limits with the following:

For DOMESTIC flights departing from or arriving to Silver Air’s home base airport of Van Nuys, CA (KVNY), passengers shall have the option to deplane an aircraft when there is an excessive tarmac delay (three hours) with the following exceptions:

1. For departing flights, when the flight begins to return to a suitable disembarkation point no later than three hours after the main aircraft door is closed in order to deplane passengers. If the aircraft is in an area that is not under the carrier’s control, the aircraft has begun to return to a suitable disembarkation point when a request is made to the Federal Aviation Administration control tower, airport authority, or other relevant authority directing the aircraft’s operations. If the aircraft is in an area that is under the carrier’s control, the aircraft has begun to return to a suitable disembarkation point when the pilot begins maneuvering the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point.
2. The pilot in command determines that deplaning passengers at a suitable disembarkation point would jeopardize passenger safety or security, or there is a safety related or security related reason why the aircraft cannot leave its position on the tarmac to deplane passengers.
3. Air traffic control advises the pilot-in-command that returning to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers would significantly disrupt airport operations.

For INTERNATIONAL flights departing from or arriving to Silver Air’s home base airport of Van Nuys, CA (KVNY), passengers shall have the option to deplane an aircraft when there is an excessive tarmac delay (four hours) with the following exceptions:

1. For departing flights, when the flight begins to return to a suitable disembarkation point no later than four hours after the main aircraft door is closed in order to deplane passengers. If the aircraft is in an area that is not under the carrier’s control, the aircraft has begun to return to a suitable disembarkation point when a request is made to the Federal Aviation Administration control tower, airport authority, or other relevant authority directing the aircraft’s operations. If the aircraft is in an area that is under the carrier’s control, the aircraft has begun to return to a suitable disembarkation point when the pilot begins maneuvering the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point.
2. The pilot in command determines that deplaning passengers at a suitable disembarkation point would jeopardize passenger safety or security, or there is a safety related or security related reason why the aircraft cannot leave its position on the tarmac to deplane passengers.
3. Air traffic control advises the pilot-in-command that returning to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers would significantly disrupt airport operations.

During a tarmac delay at a U.S. airport, Silver Air will provide adequate food and potable water on board a Silver Air aircraft at the airport no later than two hours after closing the door when the departure of a flight is delayed or no later than two hours when the disembarkation of passengers is delayed, unless the pilot-in-command determines that safety or security considerations preclude such service. During a tarmac delay at a U.S. airport, Silver Air will provide operable lavatories, comfortable cabin temperatures, and access to medical treatment for passengers.

In the event of an emergency, Silver Air will share and make available the originating Fixed Base of Operations/Gate facilities, or adjacent Fixed Base of Operations/Gate facilities as needed. Silver Air assures that they will have the equipment and staff readily available to move any aircraft not in use in order to allow the utilization of the Fixed Base of Operations/Gate facilities by other aircraft.

For all flights, Silver Air will assure that passengers on delayed flights will receive the following notifications from the flight crew regarding the delay:

• When the tarmac delay exceeds 30 minutes, Silver Air will notify the passengers on board the aircraft regarding the status of the delay, and thereafter Silver Air will provide subsequent updates, including flight status changes, as Silver Air deems appropriate.
• Silver Air will notify passengers on board the aircraft that they have the opportunity to deplane each time the opportunity to deplane exists at a suitable disembarkation point for all departing flights and diversions.

Silver Air assures that they have sufficient resources to implement this plan.

Silver Air assures that they will share facilities and make gates available at the airport in an emergency by having crew and staff prepared to assist in moving any Silver Air aircraft as needed.

Silver Air has coordinated this plan with the Van Nuys airport authority (LAWA), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as well as the terminal facility operator (or fixed base operator) at the home base airport.

Silver Air will retain records for two years for any delays exceeding three hours. The records will contain:

1. The length of the delay.
2. The precise cause of the delay.
3. The actions taken to minimize hardships for passengers.
4. Whether the flight ultimately departed or returned the boarding point.
5. Why any tarmac delay that exceeded three hours did not return to the boarding point.

This emergency contingency plan will be updated and submitted to the Department of Transportation for review and approval no longer than every three years.

A copy of this contingency plan is available for public access on Scott Aviation, LLC dba Silver Air’s website at http://www.silverair.com/plan-for-tarmac-delays