Can a 'Special Airport' be listed as an alternate airport?

Can a 'Special Airport' be listed as an alternate airport?

• A. No
• B. Only with approval from Dispatch
• C. Yes
• D. Not allowed

Answer: (C)

A Special Airport can be listed as an alternate because the purpose of an alternate is to provide a safe landing option if the destination becomes unavailable, and that option depends on having usable instrument approaches and acceptable weather minima, not on the airport’s special status. If a Special Airport has a published instrument approach and meets the airline’s planning minima for an alternate (adequate runway facilities, fuel planning margins, and acceptable weather), it can be included in the alternate list. The key is meeting the required planning criteria rather than a blanket prohibition tied to the airport’s special designation.

A Special Airport can be listed as an alternate because the purpose of an alternate is to provide a safe landing option if the destination becomes unavailable, and that option depends on having usable instrument approaches and acceptable weather minima, not on the airport’s special status. If a Special Airport has a published instrument approach and meets the airline’s planning minima for an alternate (adequate runway facilities, fuel planning margins, and acceptable weather), it can be included in the alternate list. The key is meeting the required planning criteria rather than a blanket prohibition tied to the airport’s special designation.