WASHINGTON, May 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation

Department said Wednesday it had fined Mexican carrier Volaris

Airlines up to $300,000 for violating federal law on

airport tarmac delays.

Federal law and government regulations prohibit tarmac

delays of four hours or more on international flights without

providing passengers an opportunity to deplane.

The department said in 2021 and 2022, Volaris allowed two

flights to remain on the tarmac for lengthy periods without

providing passengers an opportunity to deplane in Houston and

St. Louis. Volaris will pay $150,000 of the fine and must pay

the other $150,000 fine if it violates the tarmac rules within a

year. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued a

number of similar fines to other carriers in recent years.

Volaris, which did not immediately respond to a request for

comment, agreed to the penalty and told USDOT a series of events

outside of its control combined to cause the tarmac delays and

said it takes the rules seriously.

"This enforcement action reflects our ongoing commitment to

protecting consumers and holding airlines accountable,"

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

USDOT in January 2023 said it planned to seek higher

penalties from airlines and others that broke consumer

protection rules, saying they were necessary to deter future

violations.

In August, it fined American Airlines ( AAL ) $4.1 million

for unlawfully keeping thousands of passengers on the tarmac for

hours, the largest-ever penalty for violating the rule.

American told the department the delays were the result of

exceptional weather events, and that the 43 impacted flights

represented less than 0.001% of the approximately 7.7 million

flights operated.

In April 2023, USDOT imposed a $135,000 penalty on British

Airways over a 2017 tarmac delay in which it failed to ensure

the timely deplaning of passengers.