Air travelers who have been waiting a while on refunds from their airline are now getting what they are owed.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it took “historic enforcement actions” against six airlines to pay back $600 million in fines to hundreds of thousands of people who are owed flight cancellation refunds.

Airlines are required by the DOT to provide a refund to customers if their flights are canceled for any reason, even if the ticket was bought as nonrefundable. Refunds also need to include any additional fees like a baggage fee or seat assignment.

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“Airlines that brazenly skirt the rules deserve to be fined, but this latest round of enforcement from the USDOT comes almost three years too late and leaves out the most egregious U.S. offenders,” William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project said in a statement emailed to USA TODAY. “Frontier’sdecision to withhold valid refunds was egregious and deserves punishment. So too does the ongoing abuse of passengers by American, Delta, and United, whose market share dwarfs Frontier’s.”

McGee added: “The DOT must address widespread flight disruptions amid soaring airfares, and restore confidence in flying ahead of this holiday season – or we all risk a repeat of the summer’s flight debacles.”

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