The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) fined American Airlines $1.6 million for violating the DOT’s rule prohibiting long tarmac delays. The airline was ordered to cease and desist from future violations. According to the DOT, the fine matches a similar $1.6 million fine against Southwest Airlines in 2015.
“Our tarmac rule is meant to prevent passengers from being trapped in aircraft on the ground for hours on end,” said. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We will continue to take enforcement action as necessary to ensure passengers are not kept delayed on the tarmac for [a long time].”
An investigation by DOT’s Aviation Enforcement office found that American Airlines allowed a number of domestic flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours: 20 flights at Charlotte International Airport on Feb. 16, 2013, six flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Feb. 27, 2015, and one flight at Shreveport Regional Airport in Louisiana on Oct. 22, 2015. Under DOT rules, U.S. airlines operating with 30 or more passenger seats are prohibited from allowing their domestic flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours without giving passengers an opportunity to leave the plane.
The rules also require airlines to provide adequate food and water, ensure that lavatories are working and, if necessary, provide medical attention to passengers during long tarmac delays.
More information is available via the U.S. Department of Transportation’s official release.
