Passenger Bill of Rights for air travel

[webhead]

As many of you may have heard, there has been another incident regarding passengers being left sitting on a plane parked at an airport for over 7 hours. This is the 2nd time in 2 months. There was a 3rd 'well known' incident on a Northwest flight in 1999. Back then, the passengers attempted to get Congress to pass laws to protect the rights of air passengers. After the airlines gave millions of dollars to Congress members, the bill and effort faded away.

Today, there are a group of passengers from the Dec 2006 American flight that has restarted that movement. I wanted to spread the word here in the hopes that others will see this as something long past due. And others will be able to discuss the flaws in such action.

Either way, changes in airline policy and they way they treat and handle passengers is something that affects many of us. Just ask the Brits what they think about the baggage limitation changes due out from British Airways.

Here are a couple of sites to get started.

Online petition - http://www.petitiononline.com/airline/petition.html
Blog site - http://www.strandedpassengers.blogspot.com/

Of course, any internet search on "passenger bill of rights" and "stranded american airline|jetblue passengers" will bring up more to read about the incidents.

 

[offroaddiver]

Usually short distance flights are ok. The worst is when you board and they are still filling the plane with fuel. I was younger when i went to Europe and they made this announcement. Everyone hated the kid who said "Well duh, there aren't any gas stations between here and there." Something I'm sure people have heard.

 

[DandyDon]

Here's an informative article from Snopes.com about the futility of online petitions: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.htm

I agree, after an hour sitting on a parked plane, I would feel like livestock - any more time and I would start feeling the need for a mutiny. Probly the most effective approach would be to boycott airlines that have done this as it does suggest a poor policy for customer treatment. But I have avoided American for 20 years now.

 

[tstormdiver]

I agree, the signing of an online petition is not the best idea. The airlines have very badly stacked the deck in their favor. I realize that they are a business, out to make a profit. If they weren't they wouldn't stay in business very long. However the way passengers are treated is reprehensible. When you board a plane you are a fare, basically live cargo, not a person in their eyes. Their only goal is to get you from point A to point B, nothing more, as per your ticket. The best way to try to get a "passenger's bill of rights" is to contact your state representative(s) & senator(s) personally, & then get all of your flying friends to do the same, & their friends....... The more, the better the chance of accomplishing your goal. That being said, even that is likely to fall on deaf ears, as it is widely known that the politicians in Washington pretty much only listen to the $. So, unless you can "out bid" the airlines' fight of this measure, nothing is likely to happen.:shakehead

 

[DandyDon]

If it happened to me, I am afraid there'd be some jail time...!

 

[TeddyDiver]

There's also an international aspect in this matter. All efforts made nationaly also help with the international agenda too. The worst thing for air traveling passangers are the Montreal agreement (or Toronto, Canadian city anyway ) terms:shakehead

 

[pilot fish]

Passengers on two JetBlue flight AT JFK were detained for 7 hours on one flight and an unbelievable 11 hours on another this past week. Some of the passengers could see empty terminals where they could have pulled back in to deplane. They were 1000 ft from the terminal they pulled out of. That is WRONFUL DETENTION. Actually it is confinment. No food was served, only chips, and I heard they ran out of water.

Can you imagine being confined in a metal tube like that for that many hours? I was once held 2 1/2 hours on a Miami runway and was ready to explode. I cannot imagine 7 or 11 hours. Sorry but I think I would have revolted.

YES, PASSENGERS BILL OF RIGHTS.

As many of you may have heard, there has been another incident regarding passengers being left sitting on a plane parked at an airport for over 7 hours. This is the 2nd time in 2 months. There was a 3rd 'well known' incident on a Northwest flight in 1999. Back then, the passengers attempted to get Congress to pass laws to protect the rights of air passengers. After the airlines gave millions of dollars to Congress members, the bill and effort faded away.

Today, there are a group of passengers from the Dec 2006 American flight that has restarted that movement. I wanted to spread the word here in the hopes that others will see this as something long past due. And others will be able to discuss the flaws in such action.

Either way, changes in airline policy and they way they treat and handle passengers is something that affects many of us. Just ask the Brits what they think about the baggage limitation changes due out from British Airways.

Here are a couple of sites to get started.

Online petition - http://www.petitiononline.com/airline/petition.html
Blog site - http://www.strandedpassengers.blogspot.com/

Of course, any internet search on "passenger bill of rights" and "stranded american airline|jetblue passengers" will bring up more to read about the incidents.

 

[pilot fish]

Boycotting of the offending airline is not the answer, since they all do it.

 

[Doc]

Here's an informative article from Snopes.com about the futility of online petitions: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.htm

Get in, sit down, shut up, hang on.

That's about it.

 

[HowardE]

Get in, sit down, shut up, hang on.

That's about it.

What else could they say? Stuff happens...