Summary The US Department of Transportation has fined American Airlines $4.1 million for breaching the tarmac delay rule on domestic flights, with 43 flights found to have violated the rule between 2018 and 2021.
American Airlines claims that the delays were due to exceptional weather events and only represent 0.001% of their flights, apologizing to the affected customers and outlining measures they have taken to improve tarmac delays.
The DOT has introduced enhanced passenger protections, including compensation for stranded passengers and increased transparency on ancillary service fees.
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an unprecedented fine of $4.1 million to American Airlines for violating the rule that prohibits tarmac delays of over three hours on domestic flights without passengers being given the opportunity to deplane.
Following an investigation, the DOT uncovered 43 American Airlines flights that had breached the rule between 2018 and 2021. The majority of the delays occurred at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the carrier’s largest hub. None of the valid exceptions, including safety and security reasons, were applicable in these cases, and on one of the 43 flights, passengers were not provided with food and water, as required.
Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying
The US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, highlighted the fine as one of a series of measures being put in place to protect passengers’ rights, saying,
“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.”
The response from American Airlines
When approached by Simple Flying for comment on the fine, American Airlines responded by saying,