The U.S. Department of Transportation has denied the requests of five airlines for a temporary exemption from a new rule limiting tarmac delays to three hours. The new rule goes into effect on April 29. Airlines face fines of up to $27,500 per passenger for planes that sit on the tarmac for more than three hours.Some airlines requested exemptions for New York’s Kennedy Airport arguing their operations would be affected by a runway closure. Other exemptions were requested for neighbouring airports because delays at Kennedy would disrupt operations at the other New York-area airports.The DOT said it received 125 comments from individuals on the carriers’ requests for exemption from the three-hour rule, and that all but two opposed the requests.Source: Travel Weekly; find article here>>.
