No 3-hour airport tarmac delays in October

The number of flights that were delayed on U.S. airport tarmacs for more than three hours dropped to zero in October, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported this week. It's the first time no such delays have been reported since the agency began tracking these incidents in 2008. Airlines are no doubt feeling extra motivation to keep things moving - the department in April instituted fines of up to $27,500 a passenger that can be levied against airlines that keep passengers on planes for more than three hours without providing an option to return to the gate.