The U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) has imposed a hefty fine of $4 million on American Airlines (AAL) for instances of passengers being held onboard aircraft for three hours or more before takeoff. This fine marks the highest penalty ever levied against a domestic airline for violations of regulations regarding tarmac delays. The DoT's rules dictate that passengers must not be kept waiting onboard an aircraft for more than three hours.
A DoT investigation revealed that American Airlines had allowed numerous flights to remain grounded on the tarmac for extended periods without offering passengers the option to disembark. The airline was found responsible for 43 domestic flights that experienced such delays between 2018 and 2021. Notably, passengers stranded during these incidents were not provided with food or water. Most of these incidents occurred at the airline's hub in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, affecting a total of 5,821 passengers.
In response, American Airlines spokesperson Sarah Jantz attributed the delays to "exceptional weather events." Jantz clarified that these instances were a small fraction of the airline's extensive flight operations, totaling 7.7 million flights during the specified time period. She further conveyed the airline's apologies to affected passengers and expressed regret for any inconveniences caused.
