Jet Airways to pay USD10,000 to settle US case

The US transportation regulator imposed civil penalties of USD 10,000 on Jet Airways after the Indian carrier agreed to settle a case related to its failure to provide accurate information on a tarmac delay.
Jet Airways reached a consent settlement with the US Department of Transportation, according to an order issued by the regulator late last month.
The Indian carrier "has paid the fine as per the order", a Jet spokesperson said in a statement in New Delhi.
The incident occurred in 2011 when a dozen airlines were forced to divert due to bad weather to Bradley airport, which was not a regular diversion airport for Jet Airways. The statement said Jet was "unable to disembark its (217) guests at Bradley Airport when the aircraft was on ground due to unforeseen circumstances and the aircraft returned to New York after refuelling and obtaining necessary clearance".

The Department of Transportation order issued on October 22 said, "In order to avoid litigation, Jet Airways has agreed to settle this matter with Enforcement Office and enter into this consent order directing Jet Airways to cease and desist from future similar violations."
Jet was directed to pay a "compromise civil penalty", with the US regulator saying it believed "this assessment is appropriate and serves public interest".
The issue related to Jet's failure to provide accurate information on the tarmac delay on October 29, 2011. Due to bad weather on that day, Jet Airways flight 9W 228, going from Brussels Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport, was diverted to Bradley.

Since Bradley was not a regular diversion airport for Jet, the carrier did not have a coordinated contingency plan with the airport.