American Air Changes Grounded-Flight Rule

American Airlines has instituted a policy to ensure no passenger sits in a grounded plane for more than four hours, the Texas-based, airline says.

The policy change followed a rash of complaints after passengers on 67 flights were stuck on airport tarmacs for as many as eight hours Dec. 29 after storms shut down Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the airline says.

Besides changing its policy, American has sent nearly 5,000 letters of apology, with vouchers worth $250 or $500, to passengers stuck for more than three hours, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The airline also explained how bad weather over the airline’s hub, coupled with heavy holiday traffic, kept diverted planes on the ground.

We’ve reached out to our customers to apologize and provide compensation, spokesman Roger Frizzell said. We also have adjusted our policies and procedures to prevent this from ever happening again.