Tampa Airport Curfew: What You Need To Know

Tampa International Airport does not have a curfew. In 1990, Congress passed legislation that made it extremely difficult for airports to initiate curfews or other noise and access restrictions. This legislation was called the Airport Noise and Capacity Act. However, people travelling to and from Tampa International Airport are subject to a curfew that was put in place after protests turned violent.

Tampa International Airport is not subject to the city's curfew

The city of Tampa has a curfew from 7:30 pm to 6 am until further notice. This curfew was put in place after looting, fires and violence broke out following protests. Anyone who violates the curfew order could face up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if they're charged with a second-degree misdemeanour.

The Aviation Authority tries to be responsive to the public and can take action when appropriate and when able to. However, some callers will be frustrated when they learn that changes cannot be made.

Federal legislation from 1990 made it difficult for airports to implement curfews

Tampa International Airport does not have a curfew. In fact, people going to and from the airport are not subject to the curfew that was put in place in Tampa after protests turned violent.

Federal legislation from 1990, in the form of the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA), removed the ability for airports to implement a formal noise program or curfew. This legislation grandfathered all existing noise/access restrictions at other airports that had such restrictions, which is less than 12 commercial airports in the whole country. The Act explicitly forbids airports from implementing any rules to limit the take-off or landing of any Stage 3 or greater aircraft at any time of day.

If an airport has reason to believe a new noise rule is justified, despite ANCA, Part 161 provides a study methodology to examine the reasons why, and to provide a means to persuade the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that an exception is warranted. No new rule can be adopted unless the Part 161 Study is successfully completed and the rule is accepted by the FAA. The Part 161 Study was necessary for the Authority to be able to apply for a mandatory nighttime curfew that would be enforceable under federal law, superseding the current voluntary airline curfew now in place. However, the FAA has never granted such approval to any commercial airport in the United States since this legislation was passed.

Tampa's curfew was implemented after looting, fires and violence

Tampa International Airport does not have a curfew. Federal legislation from 1990 made it extremely difficult for airports to implement a formal noise program or curfew. However, Tampa did implement a curfew from 7:30 pm to 6 am after looting, fires and violence broke out on Saturday night following protests. More than 40 people were arrested in the city and multiple businesses were looted.

People travelling to and from the airport are exempt from the curfew

Tampa International Airport does not have a curfew. In 1990, federal legislation removed the ability for airports to implement a formal noise program or curfew. However, Tampa itself has had a curfew from 7:30 pm to 6 am due to looting, fires and violence. People travelling to and from the airport are exempt from this curfew. Anyone who violates the curfew order could face up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if they're charged with a second-degree misdemeanour.

Violating the curfew could result in a fine or prison sentence

Tampa International Airport does not have a curfew. In 1990, the Airport Noise and Capacity Act removed the ability for airports to implement a formal noise program or curfew. However, Tampa as a city has been known to implement a curfew in the past. For example, in 2020, the city had a curfew from 7:30 pm to 6 am after looting, fires and violence following protests. Violating this curfew could result in a fine or prison sentence. Anyone who violates the curfew order could face up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if they're charged with a second-degree misdemeanour. If somebody violates it as a first-degree misdemeanour under state statutes, they could face up to a year in prison and/or a $1,000 fine.

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