American Airlines receives largest fine ever from DOT for tarmac delays.

American Airlines Hit with Record-Breaking Fine for‍ Trapping Passengers Onboard

American Airlines made headlines recently when it received the largest fine in the history of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The department announced on Aug. 28 that it‍ had fined the airline $4.1 million for over 43 ⁣instances in which passengers were stuck on the tarmac⁣ for longer than necessary without​ being allowed to disembark.

The​ DOT called it “the largest civil penalty that the department has‍ ever assessed,” according to a⁤ press statement.

About 5,821 passengers were affected by these‍ lengthy flight delays on multiple domestic flights between 2018 and 2021. American Airlines and its regional partners have ⁢flown approximately 976,000 flights during⁢ the first two quarters of this year.

DOT Issues Largest‍ Fine‌ in Its History

The DOT issued​ this penalty as part of a consent⁣ order, alleging that American Airlines violated its rule on ‌tarmac delays by keeping passengers onboard for over three hours. These rules have been in effect for over a decade.

Out of the $4.1 million fine, American Airlines has already compensated passengers with over $2 million for these incidents, resulting in​ a credit for half of the fine. The remaining $2.05‌ million will be paid to the government within the next 30‌ days.

The ⁤federal government hopes that this substantial fine will discourage⁢ airlines from violating the law in the future.⁣ Federal regulations state that passengers can ‌be ‍held on board for a ‍maximum of ‍three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights, with provisions for food and water within two hours of the ‌delay.

American Airlines was accused of not following this ⁣rule on one ⁢of the ‍flights, and none​ of ⁣the exceptions allowed ​for bending the rules were applicable to any of the identified flights.

Most of these delays occurred at Dallas-Fort ⁣Worth⁣ International Airport, one of the largest transit hubs in the United States and the location of American⁤ Airlines’ headquarters.

In one of the longest incidents, passengers‌ were stuck on a plane at a Texas‌ airport for six hours and three minutes in August‌ 2020. The flight had been diverted due to severe weather.

The DOT⁤ alleged that “American lacked sufficient resources to appropriately handle several⁤ of these ⁣flights once they landed.”

Secretary ⁤Buttigieg​ Calls for More Regulations to Protect‍ Passengers

Transportation Secretary⁤ Pete Buttigieg stated, “This is‌ the latest action in our continued drive to enforce the rights of airline passengers. ​Whether the issue is extreme tarmac delays⁣ or ⁢problems getting refunds, DOT will continue to protect consumers and hold⁤ airlines accountable.”

Earlier this year, the DOT created an online dashboard‍ to inform travelers of their ​entitlements if⁢ flights are canceled or significantly delayed due to reasons within an airline’s control. The department also plans to propose regulations that⁣ would require airlines to compensate passengers for travel disruptions that leave them stranded at airports.

Secretary Buttigieg ⁢has submitted a⁣ legislative proposal to Congress that would require airlines to provide⁤ fee-free family seating. The DOT will also propose that⁣ airlines and travel search ‍websites disclose​ any surprise fees upfront and provide ⁤flight credits or vouchers if‌ a flight to, from, or within the United States is​ canceled⁤ or significantly changed.

American Airlines Protests Government Decision

American Airlines respectfully disagrees with the government’s decision, ‌stating that “certain of these tarmac delays warrant​ enforcement action under the extreme circumstances presented.” The airline had previously been fined $1 million by the DOT for delays at Reagan Washington ‍National Airport ‌during​ a winter storm ⁢in January ⁤2019.

United Airlines was also fined $1.9 million in 2021 for similar incidents.