U.S. DOT fines Air India $80,000

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WASHINGTON, May 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation said it has fined Air India $80,000 for failure to comply with rules concerning extended delays on airport runways.

The department imposed the so-called tarmac rules in August 2011 in an attempt to prevent incidents of passengers stuck for hours in planes in which takeoffs were delayed.

Air India was fined "for failing to post customer service and tarmac delay contingency plans on its Web site," the department said.

The airline failed to "adequately inform passengers about its optional fees," the DOT said in a statement.

"Our new airline consumer rules help ensure that passengers are fully informed about airline services and fees and what to expect if their flight is delayed on the tarmac. We will continue to monitor carriers to make sure they comply with our rules and take enforcement action when they do not," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.