Federal Aviation Administration

National Part 139 Cert Alert

1. Purpose. This CertAlert is to provide recommendations to airport operators when parking 

overflow aircraft. To combat the unique situation, which arose as a byproduct of the pandemic of 

COVID-19, airport operators are reaching out to the FAA for assistance in finding a solution to 

safely park thousands of airplanes. To assist, the FAA developed a list of recommendations an 

airport operator should consider when making decisions for overflow aircraft parking. 

2. Background. On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a state of national emergency, due 

to the pandemic of COVID-19. Due to the global pandemic and restrictions of flights, airlines 

have reduced capacity in the National Airspace System. As domestic airlines worked to find 

space to park up to 50% of their fleet, airport operators are working to find locations to support 

temporary overflow aircraft.

3. Recommendations. Below are considerations when temporarily parking overflow aircraft at an 

airport due to overcapacity during the COVID-19 emergency.

This list should be considered a minimum list of considerations and not a complete list. Safety to 

the public and aircraft operations should remain the highest priority.

 Establish an Aircraft parking plan committee: For proposed temporary parking of aircraft 

on aprons and/or movement areas, airport operators are encouraged to work collectively as a 

committee with airline representatives, fixed base operators, airport traffic control tower 

(ATCT) representatives, local FAA technical operations personnel, airport tenants, and 

Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF)/law enforcement representatives.

 Document the Aircraft parking plan considerations: The airport operator, or aircraft 

parking plan committee under the direction of the airport operator, should include or consider 

the following items when developing the plan.

o Consider long-term, intermediate, and short term parking of aircraft.

**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**

Date: 3/24/2020 (updated) No. 20-02

To: All Title 14 CFR Part 139 Airport Operators

Subject: Temporary Parking of Overflow Aircraft

Point of Contact: Anthony Butters, AAS-300, 202-267-9616

Email: Anthony.butters@faa.gov
CertAlert No. 20-02 (updated) 2

3/24/2020

o Exhaust all space at gates, ramps and aprons first to the fullest extent possible. If using 

ramps/aprons, recommend parking overflow aircraft as to not impede aircraft movement 

between operations and the terminal area.

o Parking on runways must be avoided to the extent practicable, due to potential of increased 

safety risk of inadvertent landings on a closed runway during this long-term duration of the 

COVID-19 situation. 

o Maximize the use of intermediate taxiway(s) for potential parking.

o Review all potential airport design or facility impact to include but not limited to: airport 

design standards including penetration to any surfaces (ROFA, TOFA, OFZ etc.); ATCT 

line of sight, communications equipment, glare impacts, impact to NAVAIDs, ILS Critical 

Areas, Visual Aids, and Part 77 surfaces. NOTE: If there is an impact to any of these 

surfaces from the parked aircraft, a FAA Form 7460-1 must be filed to ensure that an 

appropriate FAA safety analysis is completed.

o If nonstandard parking locations are utilized, normal procedures for closing movement 

areas must be followed in accordance to 14 C.F.R. §139.339 Airport condition reporting

and 14 C.F.R. §139.341 Identifying, marking, and lighting construction and other 

unserviceable areas. FAA Advisory Circulars contain methods and procedures that are 

acceptable to the Administrator.

o All movement area closures must not impact ARFF, law enforcement and other emergency 

response deployment. Extensive coordination should occur with ARFF, law enforcement 

and other emergency response officials, as well as tower personnel on any changes to 

emergency operation routes.

o The temporary parking plan should have a defined start and end date, which can be 

updated if required. During the COVID-19 situation, local parking plans should be 

evaluated, and agreed to by the committee, at least once every 90 days.

o Update any Air Traffic MOUs/MOAs/ LOAs as appropriate.

o The airport operator should advise the assigned Airport Certification Safety Inspector and 

FAA Airports District Office or Regional Office prior to implementation of any aircraft 

parking in the movement area.

 Coordination of Plan: Coordinate the plan for temporary parking of overflow aircraft on the 

airport with all airport users as appropriate. The plan must not adversely impact any user of 

the airport. If it does, appropriate accommodations must be made. 

For assistance or questions, please contact your local FAA Airports District Office or Regional 

Office.

3/24/2020

_____________________________________ ____________________

Anthony Butters, Acting Manager Date

Airport Safety and Operations Division, AAS-300