An Alaska Airlines plane is pictured with a paint job to mark the centennial of The Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington July 15, 2016. (REUTERS/File Photo)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Friday fined four U.S. airlines for providing inaccurate information about compensation for passengers who are denied boarding on oversold flights or whose baggage is lost, damaged or delayed.

According to a press release by the DOT, both Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines were fined 40,000 U.S. dollars each, while American Airlines and United Airlines were fined 45,000 and 35,000 U.S. dollars respectively.

Under DOT rules, air carriers must immediately explain to passengers about compensation after being denied boarding oversold flights.

Airlines are also prohibited from limiting their liability for losing, damaging or delaying in delivering the baggage to less than 3,500 dollars, and carriers must inform passengers of the baggage liability limit on or with the tickets, said the agency.

"We are committed to ensuring that air travelers know the rules and have accurate information about compensation when they are bumped from flights and for lost, damage, or delayed baggage," said DOT chief Anthony Foxx in the press release.