WASHINGTON The United States on Monday fined American Airlines $4.1 million for unlawfully keeping thousands of passengers on the tarmac for hours, the Transportation Department said.

“This is the latest action in our continued drive to enforce the rights of airline passengers,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “Whether the issue is extreme tarmac delays or problems getting refunds, DOT will continue to protect consumers and hold airlines accountable.”

(Reporting by Paul Grant; editing by Rami Ayyub)