The actions of a Mesaba Airlines employee - and not the Continental ExpressJet Flight 2816 pilots--led to the Aug. 8 stranding of 47 passengers for nearly seven hours on the tarmac at Rochester, Minn., according to a Transportation Dept. preliminary report.

Initial findings released today by the DOT's Aviation Enforcement Office indicate the pilots of the flight, operated by Express Jet Airlines, made repeated attempts to deplane their passengers (The flight was diverted to the airport due to bad weather.). However, the local representative of Mesaba Airlines -- the only carrier able to assist the flight at the airport--"improperly refused" the flight crew's requests. According to the report, the Mesaba representative incorrectly said the airport was closed to passengers because the Transportation Security Administration was unavailable to screen deplaning passengers.

"There was a complete lack of common sense here," said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood in the report, which points out that TSA procedures allow passengers to deplane, enter the terminal and re-board without being screened as long as they remain in a sterile area.

Mesaba CEO John Spanjers issued this response: "Mesaba respectfully disagrees with the DOT's preliminary findings as they are incongruent with our initial internal review of the incident. Because Continental Express Flight 2816 diverted to an airport where they have no ground-handling service, Mesaba offered assistance as a courtesy during this delay. While the investigation is ongoing, Mesaba is fully cooperating with the Department of Transportation and looks forward to the final report."

But DOT's preliminary report also finds fault with more than Mesaba. It notes that while the crew of the ExpressJet flight did all they could to help the passengers, "more senior personnel within Continental or ExpressJet should have become involved in the attempt" to deplane them.

In a statement today, Continental CEO Larry Kellner said the airline was "gratified" with DOT's recognition of the crew's efforts to resolve the situation--although "the result for the customers was clearly unacceptable." He added that the processes the carrier has in place to avoid such situations "clearly broke down in this case. We are working to ensure that doesn't happen again."

Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson, noted that "Delta is working with [wholly owned subsidiary] Mesaba to conduct an internal investigation, continue our full cooperation with the DOT and share all the facts with Continental."

LaHood noted the DOT Aviation Enforcement Office, which is expected to conclude its investigation into the event "within a few weeks," is considering the appropriate action to take against Mesaba. The DOT also has proposed a rulemaking that would mandate airlines to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays.

File photo: ExpressJet