The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently fined Volaris Airlines $300,000 for violating federal statutes and the department’s rule prohibiting tarmac delays of four hours or more on international flights without providing passengers an opportunity to deplane.
In addition, on one, passengers were not provided with food and water.
“If an airline passenger is stranded on the tarmac for hours on end, they have the right to disembark from the plane — and we’re making sure airlines give passengers that opportunity,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said . “This enforcement action reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting consumers and holding airlines accountable.”
Volaris flight 5892 from Guadalajara to Dallas Fort Worth was diverted to George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Aug.17, 2021, and experienced a tarmac delay of five hours and 32 minutes.
Volaris flight 826 from Mexico City to Chicago O’Hare was diverted to St. Louis on July 23, 2022, and experienced a tarmac delay of four hours and 35 minutes.
The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection investigated and found none of the exceptions to the tarmac delay rule applied to the flights.
The department has issued more than $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations during the Biden Administration.