The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined Allegiant Air $225,000 for allowing planes to get too hot while sitting on the Tarmac.
According to the statement from the DOT, the incidents occurred during the summer months of 2016 and 2017 at airports in Las Vegas; El Paso, Texas; Dayton, Ohio; and Albuquerque, N.M.
The DOT Aviation Enforcement Office said that the airline violated the Tarmac Delay Rule by allowing cabin temperatures to rise to uncomfortable levels. The agency also found that, in one of the instances, passengers were not notified that they could deplane and they were not provided food or water in a timely manner.
A report in USA Today notes that the airline told investigators that outdoor temperatures in triple digits played a factor in the resulting high cabin temperatures and that cooling the cabins to a reasonable level was "difficult at best."
The airline defended itself, saying it was acting in passengers best interest and trying to get them to their destinations as quickly as possible.
However, the airline noted that it was adjusting its training and procedures to better address the problem.
Earlier this year, Allegiant fought back against reports of an abundance of mechanical delays. A 60 Minutes report spoke to passengers who experienced other problems other than hot planes with the airline.
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