Airline (American Eagle) fined $900,000 for stranding passengers on airport tarmac

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Transportation said Monday it has fined a regional affiliate of American Airlines $900,000 for keeping hundreds of passengers cooped up for hours on planes in Chicago earlier this year, a clear warning to airlines on the eve of the holiday travel season that similar incidents won't be tolerated.

American Eagle Airlines had tarmac delays of more than three hours on 15 flights arriving at O'Hare International Airport on May 29, the department said in a statement. A total of 608 passengers were aboard the delayed flights.

The airline must pay $650,000 of the fine within 30 days, the department said. But up to $250,000 can be credited for refunds, vouchers, and frequent flyer mile awards provided to the passengers on the 15 flights, as well as to passengers on future flights that violate the three-hour rule, the department said. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1086443--u-s-airline-fined-900-000-for-stranding-passengers-on-airport-tarmac?bn=1

ALL of that money should go to THEM in CASH...not the gov't in the form of fines...

sP

We are not the 1% ya know.

the passengers need to be compensated. why should the gov't get ANY of the money? and what the fuck does this have to do with the '1%'? you do realize most of the people on those planes are just worker bees trying to either get to their next gig or back to their homes and families???

sP

Our government is bought and paid for. Airlines are big business with lobbyist buying congress critters. Apparently they didn't get to the right people yet. If they had, nothing, not even this, would have been done in the first place.

Yeah, they should compensate the passengers, but being the 99%, that ain't gonna happen.
What do you want to bet that at least some of the money flows back to the airline under the table?