Last week the U.S. Department of Transportation fined American Airlines $1.6 million for violating federal rules on extended tarmac delays.
The penalty follows a Transportation Department investigation that found several domestic flights were kept on the tarmac for longer than three hours without permitting passengers to deplane.
“Our tarmac rule is meant to prevent passengers from being trapped in aircraft on the ground for hours on end,” said Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation. “We will continue to take enforcement action as necessary to ensure passengers are not kept delayed on the tarmac for long periods of time.”
The $1.6 million fine matches a penalty levied against Southwest Airlines in 2015 for similar violations. The Department will reduce the amount by $602,000 to reflect compensation American Airlines already paid to affected passengers, and by another $303,000 for expenses the carrier incurred on surface management and surveillance to track aircraft locations.
Federal tarmac rules prohibit any U.S. airline operating aircraft with more than 30 passenger seats from keeping a plane on the tarmac for more than three hours without offering passengers the opportunity to deplane. During tarmac delays, carriers must also ensure access to food, drinking water, functioning lavatories and medical care when necessary.
The fine covers flights operated by American Airlines as well as those run under the US Airways brand and by its regional partners. The Department of Transportation said the enforcement action underscores its ongoing commitment to passenger rights and to preventing prolonged on-board delays.