Emergency Contingency Plan at Worcester Regional Airport

Worcester Regional Airport has prepared this Emergency Contingency Plan pursuant to ¡±42301 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Questions regarding this plan can be directed to Andy Widor, Airport Operations Shift Manager, at 617-549-1764 or AWidor@massport.com. Worcester Regional Airport is filing this plan with the Department of Transportation because (1) it is a commercial airport and (2) this airport may be used by an air carrier described in USC 42301(a)(1) for diversions.

This plan describes how, following excessive tarmac delays and to the extent practicable, Worcester Regional Airport 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).

Worcester Regional Airport has facility constraints that limit our ability to accommodate diverted flights and strongly encourages aircraft operators to contact the Airport Operations Shift Manager on duty at 508-849-5519 for prior coordination of diverted flights, except in the case of a declared in-flight emergency. Specific facility constraints include the following:

Customs & Border Protection (CBP) personnel and facilities are not available on-site for international passengers processing
There are no segregated facilities in which to hold international passengers or separate holdrooms or restrooms to provide to such persons
Limited number of aircraft parking positions
Limited terminal space for passengers
Limited ground support equipment

During diversion events, Worcester Regional Airport will issue NOTAMs regarding our ability to accommodate diverted flights to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the airport and its ability to serve the civil aviation needs of the public during irregular operations events.

Airport Information

Name of Airport: Worcester Regional Airport
Name and title of person preparing the plan: Andy Widor, Airport Operations Shift Manager
Preparer contact number: 617-549-1764
Preparer contact e-mail: AWidor@massport.com
Date of submission of plan: May 10, 2017
Airport Category: Non Hub

Contact Information

In the event of diversion or other irregular operations events, aircraft operators should contact the Airport Operations Shift Manager on duty at 508-849-5519 for assistance.

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

Worcester Regional Airport does not own or 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.

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

The gates at Worcester Regional Airport, excluding Gate 3, are airport owned/unassigned. Gates 1, 2, and 4 are under preferential lease to an air carrier and are not fully controlled by the airport. We will coordinate with the 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 gate, to the maximum extent practicable.

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

Worcester Regional Airport does not have international passenger processing facilities or CBP on site. We contacted United States Customs and Border Protection to discuss establishing a temporary sterile area to provide for the deplanement of passengers on diverted aircraft who have not yet cleared customs; CBP is unable to designate a temporary sterile area and is unable to clear international passengers at the Worcester Regional Airport. For emergency situations, CBP can be reached 24 hours a day at 1-800-973-2867.

Public Access to the Emergency Contingency Plan

Worcester Regional Airport will provide public access to its emergency contingency plan by posting it in a conspicuous location on the airport website.

Emergency Contigency Plan

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