Transportation Department Limits Runway Delays to 3 Hours

In response to several recent incidents that left airline passengers stranded on delayed planes, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday that airlines will now have to allow customers to deplane after three hours on the tarmac.

"Airline passengers have rights, and these new rules will require airlines to live up to their obligation to treat their customers fairly," Secretary LaHood said in a statement.

The new rule says airlines will also have to provide adequate food and drinking water after two hours of delay, and maintain working lavatories. Exceptions are allowed if air traffic control deems that returning to the terminal would significantly disrupt airport activities.

The Transportation Department recently fined Continental Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines and Mesaba Airlines a total of $175,000 for their roles in a nearly six-hour ground delay at Rochester, MN, the incident that led the DOT to consider additional regulation. The plane landed at 12:30 a.m., and a reduced airport staff refused to open the terminal for the passengers.