PASSENGER INFORMATION
Tarmac Delay Contingency Plan
At Bluestar Airlines, we believe every passenger deserves transparency, care, and dignity — especially when circumstances fall outside of anyone's control. This plan details our obligations and commitments during extended ground delays.
OUR PREPAREDNESS APPROACH
Every Bluestar Airlines station operates under a comprehensive ground delay response plan. Each plan is designed to ensure adequate resources are on hand, with a designated coordinator responsible for aligning the local team with our central operations network.
At every U.S. airport we serve, our plans are developed in coordination with:
- Local airport authorities and facility managers
- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection at international gateways
We also maintain arrangements with other carriers to share gates and facilities during irregular operations such as severe weather events. Gate access is allocated based on operational priorities — including medical situations and aircraft requirements — and available infrastructure at each location. Where jet bridges are unavailable, alternative equipment such as mobile air stairs will be used to facilitate passenger deplaning.
MAXIMUM GROUND DELAY LIMITS
Extended ground delays can occur both before departure (during taxi-out) and after landing (during taxi-in). The following limits apply during both phases:
3 Hours
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
The maximum time an aircraft may remain on the tarmac at a U.S. airport without offering passengers the opportunity to exit the plane.
4 Hours
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
The maximum time an aircraft arriving at or departing from a U.S. airport may remain on the tarmac before a deplaning opportunity must be offered.
WHEN THESE LIMITS MAY BE EXCEEDED
In rare circumstances, staying on the tarmac beyond the standard limits may be unavoidable. These situations are strictly defined and limited to the following:
SAFETY OR SECURITY DETERMINATION
The pilot-in-command concludes that allowing passengers to leave the aircraft would present an unacceptable risk to safety or security, or that the aircraft cannot safely reach a deplaning position.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DIRECTIVE
Air traffic control has advised the crew that moving the aircraft to a gate or other exit point would materially disrupt airport operations.
ACTIVE RETURN IN PROGRESS
For departing flights, the aircraft has already begun its return toward a suitable deplaning area within the applicable time window — three hours for domestic, four hours for international.
WHAT WE PROVIDE DURING A GROUND DELAY
For any Bluestar Airlines flight experiencing an extended ground delay at a U.S. airport, we commit to the following for all passengers onboard:
FOOD & WATER
Within two hours of the start of any ground delay, we will make available adequate snacks and potable drinking water — unless the flight crew determines that safety or security conditions prevent distribution.
LAVATORY FACILITIES
Functional lavatories will remain accessible to all passengers for the entire duration of a ground delay. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure facilities remain operable.
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Qualified medical support will be made available to any passenger who requires it during a ground delay. Our crew will coordinate directly with ground staff and emergency responders as necessary.
CABIN COMFORT
We are committed to maintaining a safe and comfortable cabin temperature throughout any ground delay, regardless of external weather conditions or operational circumstances.
REGULAR UPDATES
Passengers will be informed of delay status no less than every 30 minutes, including the nature of the delay when that information is available. We will also notify passengers whenever a deplaning opportunity becomes available.
The safety and well-being of our passengers is never secondary. Bluestar Airlines is confident that our ground delay response plans will meaningfully reduce passenger inconvenience during difficult operational situations.
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
PASSENGER RELATIONS
support@bluestarair.com
PHONE
1-800-BLUESTAR
DOT AVIATION CONSUMER HOTLINE
1-800-778-4838
If you believe your passenger rights were not upheld, you may submit a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Transportation at airconsumer.dot.gov or by reaching the DOT aviation consumer hotline listed above.