Holding Point

A holding point is a designated location on an aerodrome where an aircraft must stop and wait before entering or crossing a runway. It is marked both visually on the ground and procedurally in ATC phraseology. Holding points are critical for runway safety and traffic sequencing.

• Prevent runway incursions by separating ground movements from runway operations
• Provide clear stop locations during taxiing
• Allow ATC to control access to active runways
• Ensure proper spacing between aircraft during takeoff and landing sequences

• Typically located at the entrance to a runway, but may also exist midway across taxiways intersecting runways.
• Marked with yellow painted lines on the taxiway:
• Two solid + two dashed lines (standard ICAO stop bar marking)
• Solid lines on the side where aircraft must stop
• May be accompanied by red signs with white numbers showing the intersecting runway (e.g., “27-09”)

• “Taxi to holding point runway 27 via Alpha”
• “Hold short of runway 27 at Bravo”
• “Line up and wait runway 27” (if cleared to enter but not take off)
• “Cross runway 27, report vacated” (if permitted to proceed)

When ATC instructs to “hold short,” the pilot must stop before the holding point marking and may not cross without a specific clearance.

Example:

“OE-ABC, hold short of runway 27 at Bravo.”
Response: “Holding short runway 27 at Bravo, OE-ABC.”

Sometimes a clearance to approach or cross a runway is conditional:

“After landing traffic, line up runway 27.”

The aircraft must wait until the specified condition is met. Conditional clearances must be read back exactly and followed strictly.

Large airports may have:

• Multiple holding points per runway
• Intermediate holding points to stage aircraft
• Runway guard lights, stop bars, and other safety systems

• Before the holding point: Ground control typically manages the aircraft
• At the holding point: Tower takes over for takeoff clearance
• ATC will instruct the pilot to change frequency accordingly.

• ✅ Never cross a holding point without explicit clearance
• ✅ Confirm runway number and stop at the solid side of the marking
• ✅ Use a progressive taxi request if unsure about ground markings or routing