MALVEAUX: Secretary Ray LaHood here in THE SITUATION ROOM, thank you so much for joining us.

As we know, we all have nightmare stories about being stuck on a plane out on the tarmac for hours and hours. This is a relief to a lot of people who are hoping for a better experience on the airlines.

But what can you do, the Department of Transportation, to enforce this, if we're on a plane more than three hours, before they bring us back to the tarmac? RAY LAHOOD, U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: Well, we're going to have strong enforcement here.

If there is a violation, there's a fine of $27,500 per violation. So, that means if there's 150 people on the plane, it's 150 times $27,500. That's a huge amount of money. And the airline has to post it on their Web site that they arrived back at the terminal late or that people did not get food and a drink within two hours of the time that they boarded the plane. That's the other aspect of it.

MALVEAUX: And what kind of foods or drinks are we talking about here?

LAHOOD: Probably peanuts, pretzels, a snack, some kind of a snack, but at least something. Many people sit for seven and eight hours with absolutely nothing to eat. They get sick. They faint. The restrooms end up not working. And it's just a horrible experience for people.

MALVEAUX: Now, we get charged fees for everything. You're talking about bags. Sometimes, it's food or drink or whatever. We're just bombarded with fees when we travel here.

So, how do you assure the American traveling public here that these fees are not going to be passed along if these airlines say, you know what, it's more expensive to follow this rule; we're going to pass the cost along to consumers?

LAHOOD: Well, we will keep an eye on this. The airlines ought to get with this and say to the passengers, we agree with the Department of Transportation. This is a lousy way to treat people. This is a good enforcement, it's a good rule, and we're going to abide by it, rather than trying to figure out ways to punish the passengers. They ought to try and figure out ways to be helpful here.

MALVEAUX: But how can you prevent those airlines from passing along those fees, if it's more expensive for them, they're doing business, it's the way that they do business now, that we get stuck with these fees?

LAHOOD: Well, we will work with the airlines on this. And we -- they have been notified today of this enforcement, this new rule. And I think the last thing they want to do now is try and stick it to passengers.

They have already, you know, been through so much torture already as a result of being delayed on planes.

MALVEAUX: So, if there's a scenario where you're on a plane and they say, OK, it's two hours, two-and-a-half-hours, they bring you back to the terminal because of this new rule here, you go from being number five in line to take off. Now you're back at the terminal, you go back, and now you're 30 in line, there are even more delays.

How does this actually prevent that from happening, where you have got further delays and a backlog? How does the FAA handle this? LAHOOD: Well, look, I think that airports now, once they have determined that this rule is out there, they are going to figure out ways to make sure that planes are in the right queue and that there are more opportunities for planes to take off on time.

But we don't see this causing further delay. We think this causes passengers to have more options. They can go back to the terminal, reboard the next day, go home, or figure out if they want to get back on this flight, if they know it's going to be delayed. It gives them the option, so they're not sitting there trying to figure out what's happening in their life.

MALVEAUX: Are you concerned at all that some of these airlines, they are going to realize, OK, we're running out of time here, we have got to take off, and that they're going to make some bad decisions based on bad weather, perhaps take off when they shouldn't take off? You say that this is an exception for safety. But if they're looking at the clock there, are you worried that they might make those kinds of decisions?

LAHOOD: Absolutely not. Safety is always number one with pilots. It's always number one with our air traffic controllers. Safety will not be compromised as a result of this rule. Safety will always be the number-one priority.

MALVEAUX: How can you guarantee that?

(CROSSTALK)

LAHOOD: Because I have talked enough with pilots and air traffic controllers. They're well-trained around the idea that safety has to be number one. And they get that and they will never compromise safety as a result of a rule like this.

MALVEAUX: Have you been met with any resistance from the airlines so far?

LAHOOD: Well, we have heard some disgruntled airlines speaking out today.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: Which ones?

LAHOOD: Oh, the Air Transport Association put out a release. And my point to them is, you ought to get with it. This is about passengers. This is about the people that help you make a living and keep your airlines going. They ought to be stepping up and saying, this is a good idea, because it helps passengers.

MALVEAUX: Final question here. We had a monster snowstorm, as you realize here, in the District and all of Northeast. What is the situation like now in terms of traveling for the holidays?

LAHOOD: Well, there are still delays today. There will probably be a few delays tomorrow. People are just trying to get back on track.

I would say, within the next 48 hours, things will be back to normal. They're not back to normal today, though. There are still long lines and long delays. But the airlines are getting the planes back in the air.

MALVEAUX: All right, Mr. Secretary, thank you so much for joining us.

LAHOOD: Thank you. Thank you.