JetBlue Fined $90K For Not Telling Passengers They Were Allowed To Deplane : NPR

Answer 1

JetBlue was fined $90,000 by the US Department of Transportation for failing to tell passengers on a plane delayed at John F. Kennedy International airport that they could leave the plane as it sat at the gate for nearly 3 hours.

The DOT said that airline protection rules state that passengers must be told if they are able to leave the plane, whether on the tarmac or at the gate, and must get updates every 30 minutes.

JetBlue issued a statement saying they acknowledge their violation and will comply with the DOT ruling. The company has implemented a plan to handle such incidents in the future.  

Last year, American Eagle was fined $900,000 by DOT for keeping 15 planes on the runway for over 3 hours at Chicago's O'Hare airport.