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Unfortunately, all personnel must vacate the ramp, cease airside ground activities and outdoor baggage handling while lightning is within a five-mile radius. Lightning within a five-mile radius must subside before staff can begin unloading baggage from the plane.  Baggage handling staff will work quickly to catch up, but the waiting time may increase if multiple planes landed during the same hour.

Safety standards require that lightning within a five-mile radius subsides before passengers, staff or crew begin the boarding or deplaning process. All personnel must vacate the ramp, cease airside ground activities and outdoor baggage handling while lightning is within a five-mile radius. Unfortunately, lightning in the area may lead to delays in flight arrivals, flight departures and delivery of baggage as well.

No. Passengers at PGD board an aircraft by walking along the ground-level and up a gently-sloping ramp. Open-air ramps are commonly employed at many small airports that have one-story terminals or support low-cost carriers. However, safety standards require that lightning within a five-mile radius subsides before passengers, staff or crew begin the boarding or deplaning process.  These standard safety regulations are employed regardless of whether or not PBBs are utilized, so even passengers at large airports experience lightning-related delays.

According to the FAA, the largest cause of air traffic delay in the National Airspace System is weather.  Even if the weather seems nice in Florida, your aircraft may be delayed due to thunderstorms in other parts of the country. Review the FAA’s Frequently Asked Questions about weather.