Q: Hi Honk: A friend was on a United Airlines flight two weeks ago, going from John Wayne Airport to Newark, New Jersey. The scheduled departure time was 9:10 p.m. But there were weather issues in Newark most of the day, resulting in flights getting stacked up and delayed. After everyone had boarded, the pilot announced the weather issue and that the takeoff would be delayed. Shortly before 10 p.m., the pilot said that the United people were talking to airport people to get permission to take off after 10. They were successful, and the flight left at 10:10 p.m. Who gives permission for late departures? Is there a fine for late departures?
– Jim Fuchs, Costa Mesa
A: First, Jim, the basics.
For departing commercial aircraft, the curfew begins each night at 10 and lasts until 7 a.m. the next day, except on Sundays when the curfew ends an hour later.
Landing airliners get an extra hour each night — until 11.
John Wayne is close to neighborhoods, whose residents for decades have pushed hard to ensure aircraft noise isn’t excessive — leading to rules that are more protective than those for most communities surrounding an airfield in the United States.
Yes, waivers can be granted if the delay was “beyond the airline’s control,” said AnnaSophia Servin, a spokesperson for the airport. Such reasons, she said, include weather, a mechanical issue, for safety, or because of air-traffic control instructions.
Typically, those waivers can be provided by county operations officers within a half-hour after the nightly curfew.
“However, flights that operate within curfew hours and did not receive an approved curfew extension may receive monetary penalties ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for each occurrence,” Servin said in an email.
Ian Gregor, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration, said air-traffic controllers don’t regulate curfews: “Airports enforce curfews.”
The public can file John Wayne Airport noise complaints by going to ocair.com and searching for “Noise Events.”
The curfew rules don’t apply to general aviation — what are considered private, non-commercial flights. Those aircraft can come and go when they want, but the airport encourages them to consider the airfield’s neighbors, and there are noise limits.
HONKIN’ FACT: Police officers in San Bruno, just south of San Francisco, recently saw an autonomous vehicle make an illegal U-turn. Officers pulled over the vehicle.
“Since there was no human driver, a ticket couldn’t be issued,” the Police Department says on its Facebook page. “Our citation books don’t have a box for ‘robot.’”
Officers notified the company about the glitch, so the car or fleet can get reprogrammed.
“For those who believe that we are being (lenient), there is legislation in the works that will allow officers to issue the company notices,” the department says.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk