| Airline | Policy Goes Into Effect After a Delay of... | Status Updates | Food, Water, Lavatories & Medical Care | "Light at the End of the Tunnel" Clause | Compensation |
| Airtran | Not Specified | "will provide the best information available to us" |
"refreshements available on request" "ensure that lavatories remain serviceable" "professional medical assistance made available if necessary" |
Mentions deplaning. Doesn't specify time-frame. |
None Mentioned |
| Alaska |
Taxi-out: (before take-off) Over 1.5 hours Taxi-in: (after landing) Over 1 hr |
"At least every 30 minutes" |
"aircraft servicing (lavatory service and/or catering services) may be arranged if recommended by the flight crew" "flight crew has access to medical professionals, via MedLink, a contracted medical advisory service" |
"It is always our intent to deplane within an hour of the time a contingency plan is activated and never more than two hours after your arrival." | For a delay of more than 2 hours you get frequent flyer miles, but not if the delay is due to weather, air traffic control, or "extraordinary circumstance beyond our control" |
| Allegiant | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified | None Mentioned |
| American |
Taxi-out: Over 2 hours Taxi-in: Over 2 hours |
Not Specified | "food (snack bar such as a Nutri-Grain) water, restroom facilities and basic medical assistance" | Not Specified | None Mentioned |
| Continental |
Taxi-out: Over 2 hours Taxi-in: Over 2 hours |
Every 20 minutes | "adequate food, potable water, adequate restroom facilities and access to necessary medical treatment" | 2-3 hour delay results in initiating gate return and deplaning | None Mentioned |
| Delta |
Taxi-out: Over 2 hours Taxi-in: Over 1 hour |
"will make timely announcements" |
"snacks, beverages" "make every reasonable effort to ensure aircraft is properly serviced" |
Mentions deplaning. Doesn't specify time-frame. |
None Mentioned (unless free headsets and in-flight entertainment count) |
| Frontier |
Not Specified |
Not Specified | "make every possible effort to provide food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical treatment" | Not Specified | None Mentioned |
| JetBlue |
Taxi-out: Over 3 hours Taxi-in: Over 1 hour |
Not Specified | "food, drink, access to clean restrooms and as necessary, medical treatment" | Will take necessary action to deplane for delays over 5 hours | Issues vouchers for future travel that increase in value with the increase of the length of the delay |
| Northwest |
Taxi-out: Over 5 minutes past scheduled departure Taxi-in: Over 1 hour |
Every 15 minutes |
Not Specified |
When a taxi-out reaches 3 hours, gate return is initiated. When a taxi-in reaches 1 hour, "event recovery plan" is initiated. |
Issues "service recovery packets," which can include frequent flyer miles or a travel discount certificate, as well as meal vouchers. Values increase for longer delays. |
| Spirit | Not Specified | Not Specified | "may provide limited amenities and services, which may be required by certain passengers in order to maintain their safety, health and welfare... provided as a courtesy and are not to be considered an obligation" | Not Specified | None Mentioned |
| Southwest |
Taxi-out: Over 2 hours Taxi-in: Over 2 hours |
"will provide the best information available to us" |
"Refreshments available on request" "make every reasonable effort to ensure that lavatories remain serviceable: "professional medical assistance... if necessary" |
Mentions deplaning. Doesn't specify time-frame. |
None Mentioned |
| United |
Taxi-out: Over 3 hours Taxi-in: Over 1 hour |
"best available information... in a timely manner" | "provide food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical treatment" | Not Specified | For taxi-out delays over 4 hours and taxi-in delays over 1.5 hours, discount travel certificates are issued. |
| US Airways |
Taxi-out: 1 hour Taxi-in: Not Specified |
Will start to update you at 5 minutes | "provide food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical treatment" | "At 3 hours, information about the flight is escalated through US Airways' senior operations management for a decision about returning to the gate." | None Mentioned |
Tarmac Delay Policy Chart
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