New federal system warning the length of time commercial airliners making domestic flight are allowed to sit on the tarmac while passengers are on board take effect today.

Below the system, first announced in December 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) can impose fines of up to $27,500 per passenger on airlines that strand passengers in planes on the tarmac for more than 3 hours.


The new rule Enhancing Airline Passenger protection also requires airlines to offer adequate food and drinking water for passengers in 2 hours of the aircraft being delayed on the tarmac and to maintain operable lavatories and, if needed, give medical attention.

On April 22, the DOT without requests from JetBlue, Delta, Continental, American and US Airways to be temporarily exempted from the anti-stranding rule at often-congested airports as well as New York's JFK and LaGuardia airports, Newark International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport.

"Passengers on flights late on the tarmac have a right to know they will not be held aboard a plane indefinitely," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in denying the requests. "This is an important consumer protection, and we believe it should take effect as planned."

In denying the requests, DOT said the airlines should deal with delay at busy airports by rerouting or rescheduling flights, quite than by stranding passengers on planes.

DOT also noted that it had the latitude to believe the impact of individual runway closure and possible harm to passengers when deciding whether to implement the anti-stranding policy and setting the amount of fines.