The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has imposed a $4 million fine on American Airlinesfor abandoning passengers stranded on the runway for three hours or more.
This is the largest sanction the agency has so far imposed on a single US airline for violating the rule, the portal details said. Politics.
DOT rules allow planes to be stationary for up to three hours while awaiting takeoff for a domestic flight, without giving passengers a chance to disembark.
However, after investigation, the agency determined that American “stranded dozens of flights on the runway for extended periods of time without letting any passengers escape.”
That says Sarah Jantz, spokeswoman for the airline the aforementioned delays were due to “exceptional weather conditions” and they accounted for a small number of “the 7.7 million flights during this period.”
In addition to improving performance on rail delays, “we have since apologized to affected customers and regret any inconvenience caused,” Jantz said.
The DOT has broad consumer protection authority, which has historically been used to support decisions to fine airlines for overstaying passengers, failing to provide timely refunds, or violating similar rules.
DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection studied incidents between 2018 and 2021 and found that American allowed “43 domestic flights to remain on the runways for extended periods without giving passengers a chance to disembark.”said.
Passengers were also not offered food or water during the delays, a staple of the rule, authorities said.
Most of the delays occurred at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the US hub, affecting a total of 5,821 passengers. (JO)
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