Do Airlines get fined when their flights depart late?
March 19th, 2009 | by Anthony |Chestnut_Hill_College_Undergrad asked:
I work for the United Parcel Service and load a Boeing 757-200 from PHL to RIC-ORF (from Philadelphia to Richmond) then it leaves (Richmond to Norfolk) everyweek night. My plane is due out at 3:26am (8:26Z). I am part-time management and the upper management is always stressing up for our planes to go out on time. They claim that for each minute that it goes out late, its like a $1000 fine (1 min =$1000, 10min = $10000, and so on). However, I never read anything about it, which leaves me wondering if they are just pushing us to get our planes out on time to ensure committed service to customers. So are airlines really fined it their planes depart late?
CHARLINE
6 Responses to “Do Airlines get fined when their flights depart late?”
By kb3hmj on Mar 22, 2009 | Reply
I don’t know for sure but I don’t think so. The delays are normally for safety. Fining a company for making good safety decisions would undermine safety so I doubt it. I am a professional Aviator Helicopter Pilot. Like I said I don’t know for sure.
By ADAM M on Mar 25, 2009 | Reply
Hi, I work for Swissport UK at Stansted Airport, London. Im a dispatcher and work on behalf of many airlines. We are always told the same thing and yet to this day I have never read anything about it. However, I do know that airlines such as EasyJet (low cost airline) do lose money if they depart late due to factors within their control. If slot times are missed due to crew not being preped, Brussels Control Charge the Airline for the inconveince, and sub-sequently ground handling companies such as Swissport and ServisAir get charged by the airline!
Hope this Helps!
By Sul on Mar 27, 2009 | Reply
No! Not in the US.
By 155047 on Mar 29, 2009 | Reply
i believe they use that as a metaphor……it cost them in profit because they have to pay for that wasted fuel on the ground and they are also taking up a gate that another plane could use and that makes many flights late
By Mark S on Mar 31, 2009 | Reply
They might be talking about hurting their own profit sharing fund, or they might have to pay the feeder airlines extra. The FAA doesn’t levy civil penalties for late departures. I would ask some tougher questions of your management. Don’t you have a labor union there?
By AHK on Apr 3, 2009 | Reply
depends on a number of things. if aircraft are late due to their own negligence then they lose money. if they’re late due to other service providers (ie catering, fuelers, ramp agents etc) then they pass on the charges (not always the case) to them