Transportation secretary promises strong action against airlines that violate new 3-hour rule

LaHood: Tarmac delay rule to be strongly enforced

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top transportation official is promising tough enforcement of a new rule limiting to three hours the amount of time airlines can keep passengers waiting in planes on tarmacs.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday that airlines that don’t return waiting passengers to gates within three hours can expect his department to come down hard on them.

LaHood sidestepped a question about whether he will seek the maximum fine against airlines that break the rule — $27,500 per passenger. But he said it’s important that there be “strong enforcement” so that airlines know the government is serious about the time limit.

The three-hour rule goes into effect on Thursday.