WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Monday it would begin routinely penalizing U.S. air carriers for lengthy tarmac delays, the latest step to address airline consumers’ complaints after a series of high-profile incidents.
The new rules released by the Transportation Department would prohibit airlines from leaving passengers stuck on a runway for more than three hours, and would require that passengers be provided snacks and water during such delays. Airlines would be fined $27,500 per passenger for violations. Currently the Transportation Department issues fines for tarmac delays on case-by-case basis.
The new rules, which would apply only to domestic flights and would take effect within 120 days, would be more severe than those proposed in legislation introduced earlier this year in Congress, administration officials said.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the administration wants to send the message that it is toughening up on consumer abuses after a series of high-profile delays in recent years.
“We think it’s the strongest message we can send, particularly at this time of the year, for passengers,” Mr. LaHood said during a news conference Monday morning. “Passengers have rights and they shouldn’t get stuck on airplanes in a way that just doesn’t reflect the kind of service they’re paying for.”
Mr. LaHood said the new rules would allow for exemptions in instances in which pilots and air-traffic controllers determined tarmac delays were necessary for security or safety reasons.
Transportation Department officials said that in recent years, an average of 1,500 domestic flights annually have experienced delays of more than three hours, affecting some 114,000 passengers annually.
Airlines have fought congressional efforts to set a limit on tarmac delays, arguing that forcing airlines to “de-plane” passengers after three hours would lead to more delays throughout the system.
