HOUSTON, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ExpressJet is pleased with the announcement made by Department of Transportation's Secretary, Ray LaHood, today stating the ExpressJet crew was not at fault and in fact, they repeatedly tried to gain permission to deplane the passengers at the airport.
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ExpressJet and Continental have a long standing relationship of cooperation with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on passenger rights. ExpressJet was one of the few regional airlines that voluntarily participated in the DOT's task force on developing contingency plans during extended tarmac delays.
Through knowledge gained by participating in the DOT task force, both ExpressJet and Continental adopted an extended tarmac delay program. As the timeline and digital voice recordings accompanying this release prove, both companies know the program and attempted to follow it. The digital voice recordings and timeline will also be available by visiting the press section of www.expressjet.com.
"Safety of flight must be the top priority for any aviation company. I commend our crew and dispatch personnel for remaining committed to this standard," said ExpressJet President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Ream.
"However, customer service and comfort is also imperative, and I'm pleased that the DOT findings support ExpressJet's belief that our crew made exhaustive efforts to help customers through this weather event," added Ream.
Flight 2816 departed Houston (IAH) at 9:23 PM Central bound for Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. While enroute, severe weather developed in the Twin Cities region. The flight held for approximately 30 minutes trying to land in Minneapolis but the severe weather continued so a decision was made to divert to Rochester, MN. The flight landed safely at 12:28 AM Central in Rochester, MN. The sole discretion to deplane an aircraft rests with the pilot in command. ExpressJet's Captain began inquiring about options for deplaning customers almost immediately after landing and these requests were repeated throughout the night; unfortunately, the Captain's requests for terminal access were denied by ground handling agents.
ExpressJet and Continental completed an exhaustive review of the events that transpired after landing in Rochester, MN with the Department of Transportation to determine the cause of the extended tarmac delay.
