Because of confusion over TSA rules, 47 passengers on board a Continental Express flight were not permitted to leave the aircraft for nearly six hours while it was parked in Rochester, Minn.

On Tuesday, levying of Minneapolis - Federal fines totaling $175,000 was done, against the three airlines that abandoned dozens of passengers for nearly six hours on a tarmac in Rochester, Minn., last summer.

A total civil penalty of $100,000 was given to Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines by the U. S. Department of Transportation as they kept passengers on board Continental Express Flight 2816 on Aug. 8. Apart from this, Mesaba Airlines was fined a civil penalty of $75,000 by the department. The airline provided ground handling for the flight.

Apart from this, a full refund was also provided to each passenger by Continental, which also offered additional compensation for their time and discomfort.

The small airplane had a total of 47 passengers trapped in it.

The department described this as the precedent-setting enforcement actions, which will conclude after a settlement by the carriers over violations alleged by federal authorities.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, expressed, "I hope that this sends a signal to the rest of the airline industry that we expect airlines to respect the rights of air travelers. We will also use what we have learned from this investigation to strengthen protections for airline passengers subjected to long tarmac delays."