Tarmac Contingency Plan

BIRMINGHAM-SHUTTLESWORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BHM) EMERGENCY CONTINGENCY PLAN

BHM has prepared this Emergency Contingency Plan pursuant to §42301 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act. Questions regarding this plan can be directed to Cameron Thompson, Vice President of Operations, Birmingham Airport Authority at cthompson@flybhm.com. BHM is filing this plan with the Department of Transportation because it is a commercial airport.

 This plan describes how, following excessive tarmac delays and to the extent practicable, BHM will:

Provide for the deplanement of passengers;
Provide for the sharing of facilities and make gates available at the airport; and
 Provide a sterile area following excessive tarmac delays for passengers who have not yet cleared United States Customs & Border Protection (CBP).

BHM has facility constraints that limit our ability to accommodate diverted flights and maintain the airport’s safe operation and strongly encourages aircraft operators to contact the airport at 205-599-0519 for prior coordination of diverted flights, except in the case of a declared in-flight emergency. Specific facility constraints include the following: 

BHM has limited parking space for diverted aircraft. Only 8 gates are unleased and available for open use. 6 of these gates are designed to handle up to design group III aircraft. The remaining 2 can each handle up to a Boeing 757, or combined, can accept a design group V aircraft. 4 “hard stand” parking positions are available near the passenger terminal. These spaces can accommodate up to design group III aircraft. Additional space, including space for up to design group V aircraft, exists for diverted aircraft on the cargo expansion ramp, but these spaces are not near the passenger terminal or any other facility to allow for deplaning of passengers.

Airport Information

Name of Airport: Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Name and title of person preparing the plan: Cameron Thompson
Preparer contact number: 205-599-0526
Preparer contact e-mail: cthompson@flybhm.com
Date of submission of plan: August 5, 2022
Airport Category: Large Hub  Medium Hub  Small Hub X Non Hub 

Contact Information

In the event of diversion or other irregular operations events, aircraft operators should contact
the Airport Operations Center at 205-599-0519 for assistance.

Plan to Provide for the Deplanement of Passengers Following Excessive Tarmac Delays

BHM does not operate any of the equipment needed to safely deplane passengers from air carrier aircraft and is, therefore, unable on its own to provide for the deplanement of passengers. Additionally, airport personnel are not BHM does not operate any of the equipment needed to safely deplane passengers from air carrier aircraft and is, therefore, unable on its own to provide for the deplanement of passengers. Additionally, airport personnel are not trained to assist in the deplanement of passengers using equipment owned or operated by air carriers or contract service providers. We will provide a list of airlines, ground handlers, fixed base operators and others who may have the necessary equipment and personnel to safely deplane passengers to airlines as soon as practicable after receiving requests from such airlines experiencing excessive tarmac delays at the contact number listed above. Additionally, the airport does own a single push tractor, K-loader, pull tug, belt loader, air stairs, and air start that may be rented by a carrier upon request (provided the equipment is available and serviceable). BHM does not have any person to operate this equipment.

Plan to Provide for the Sharing of Facilities and Make Gates Available in an Emergency

The gates at BHM are under preferential lease to air carriers and are not fully controlled by the airport during those time periods when the tenant’s usage of that gate meets the usage specified in the preferential use lease. We may be able to direct a tenant airline to accommodate another air carrier aircraft at its preferentially leased gate during those time periods when the tenant airline is not using, or not scheduled to use, the gates as defined in the lease. We will direct our tenant air carriers to make gates and other facilities available to an air carrier seeking to deplane at a gate during those time periods the gates are not in use or not scheduled to be in use, to the extent practicable and allowed by the lease.

Plan to Provide a Sterile Area for Passengers Who Have Not Cleared United States Customs and Border Protection

BHM has defined sterile areas capable of accommodating limited numbers of international passengers. We will coordinate with local CBP officials to develop procedures that will allow  international passengers who have not yet cleared United States Customs and Border Protection to be deplaned into these sterile areas to the extent practicable.

Public Access to the Emergency Contingency Plan

BHM will provide public access to its emergency contingency plan through one or more of the following means:

Posting in a conspicuous location on the airport website (http://www.flybhm.com)
Providing notice of the availability of the plan on the airport’s social media accounts.
Posting signs in conspicuous locations in the terminals.
Advertising the availability of the plan in local newspapers of record.