Local News

Despite New Policies, AA Passengers Left On Tarmac

DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ― As CBS 11 News first reported in November, new technology and policies have been in place for American Airlines since December 2006, to ensure that passengers were not kept on the airport tarmac for hours. But last night, things did not go quite as planned.

After the winter snow storms hit North Texas on Thursday, CBS 11 News was inundated with stories from travelers who were going nowhere. Passengers faced lines and frustration at DFW Airport, but the wait was not just in the terminal. It was on the planes.

"About six hours," said one person at DFW Airport.

"I've heard that other people had to sit for five and a half hours," said another.

"We were waiting about five hours on the tarmac," one traveler said.

"We were held hostage on an American Airlines flight for six hours," another angry passenger said.

American Airlines put a policy in place in December 2006 specifically to address this kind of situation. In November, American Airlines officials showed off that new technology to CBS 11 News. "If they are on a plane for any period of time, four hours or longer, to get off at that point," explained Charlie Wilson with American Airlines.

According to a Tim Smith, a spokesman with American Airlines, the planes hit that four hour mark during Thursday's snow storm. Seventeen flights went back to gates, but with a long line of planes, it became hard to turn around. "The traffic on the tarmac, getting an aircraft to move out of position and back in line, and back into the gates is very, very difficult," Smith said.

For some, the process took two or more hours past the original four hour wait.

American Airlines said that they have apologized to passenegers who were kept on the planes longer than normal. Smith said that they are reviewing procedures to see where improvements can be made, although some passengers are still trying to reach their final destination.

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