United Airlines Fined $1.9 Million For Tarmac Delays

I wish they also published how United compared to Delta and American Airlines during that 5 year span. Yes 25 flights out of over 8 million seem insignificant. However, if United's competitors have 0 flights out of 8 million excessive tarmac delays, then DL and AA are doing something right that United clearly isn't doing from a passenger perspective.

United has the dual advantage / disadvantage of operating many of its hubs in operationally challenging airports, when weather and construction cause big problems (EWR, ORD, SFO principally). In spite of its marketing spin, and significant improvements, UA still runs a messy operation and seems to have more delays overall than DL and AA.

UAL has to pay half of the fine in cash within 30 days but the other half has to be used to upgrade systems in United's operations control center to prevent this type of thing and to ensure there is adequate communication.
This is indeed a low number of flights as a percentage of what United operates. The question is likely not the number of flights but the processes and apparently that the DOT does not believe UA has sufficient controls in place to make sure customers are adequately informed and cared for during lengthy ground delays.

The DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report includes a section on tarmac delays so you can see how well UA does compared to other airlines - but you have to look at the list each month because they do not sum the statistics as they do for other metrics like on-time.

well said. United also has more of its operation in northern tier airports than Delta and American.
being in larger markets used to be an advantage if United could maintain a strong base of business passengers but the growth of low cost carriers in United hubs - at Newark, Chicago, Houston, and Denver - as well as a likely reduction in business travel will hurt United.

United does try but has some structural challenges including that Newark is no longer slot controlled in large part because United did not use its slots to required levels and also because EWR pushes a lot more metal through a smaller amount of runway space than JFK or even LGA considering that LGA doesn't hardly handle widebodies.

A pittance compared to the $7.7 billion in bailout money UA got from the government. And Kirby continues to stroke this administration in hopes of getting additional subsidies.

What's the point of these fines if the money DOT receives from United is also the bailout money from the government.

Since it wasn't DOT who was stuck on the tarmac, maybe the whole amount should go to the passengers. Especially the '80% for vouchers or travel credits' or 'two cents per mile' part. This is the real slippery slope.

And the joke "$200,000 shall be credited to United to develop and implement a diversion management tool that improves United’s overall situational awareness of systemwide diversions" might as well call it as a settlement discount.

I disagree on UA doesn't have sufficient controls. It's UA best interest to operate efficiently.

United ops probably spend millions to ensure that this doesn't happen.
The problem that can't be solved is predicting the future. I'm sure most if not all of these violations are incremental delays that add up to a violation. (Think 60 mins delay extended 3 times or the deice was slow and backed up)

Believe me the crews don't want to get stuck in their office any longer than you do.

The money for United to invest is just like paying your child to do their already finished homework.

I'm simply relaying what the DOT said, not my opinion.
Perhaps they will level fines on other airlines or maybe they saw something about United that they thought needed to be addressed.

As I'm sure you know, many government fines to business have a corrective element and require using part of the fine to change processes.

Kamala is trying to curry favor with Buttigeg to get the DOT and feds in on Gavin Newsom’s bribery scheme with UAL in California.

Sad to see Californians running the show and corrupting the federal government.

Diversion airports have always been a space to accommodate issue. I suggest airports along with the various airlines work out a plan to move later loading planes or cancelled flight planes away from their gate position and make that gate open. Yes, that's correct! Open to a jet from a competing airline. After all it's the passenger who ultimately benefits from this kind of arrangement. Price is not always the determining factor upon which "who you fly with". Price, comfort and on time scheduling all factor into the decision. Seems like DOT, FAA and all airlines might just have a solution that might be fairly simple to implement.