Airlines are trying to overturn a new New York State law that says airlines have to provide, "fresh air and lights, waste removal services and adequate food and drinking water" if passengers are stuck on the tarmac for over three hours. Apparently that's just too onerous a request. [NYT]
Post a comment
Comments:
The Airlines are claiming that since the feds deregulated airlines the states should not be able to regulate airlines at all. If this theory stands up the only choice would be to pressure congress to change the federal law.
"fresh air and lights, waste removal services and adequate food and drinking water"
Translation: "We want customers to suffocate, starve, and die of thirst in the dark, while sitting in their own excrement" That'll be $320 please.
"adequate food" will probably mean a sip of water and a pretzel the way airlines are cutting back costs today.
The person writing the article, somehow felt compelled to add this disclaimer at the end of the piece.
"On the other hand, let's keep our perspective. I should note that this is being written from Tucson. My wife and I flew here nonstop Friday night for a long weekend at our getaway house. Seven hours after we departed from Newark (where my wife was upgraded to first class from a cheap round-trip coach ticket because of her lowest level elite-mileage status on Continental), we were ensconced in our house in the desert with a fire crackling in the fireplace and the coyotes yipping in the foothills.
Her fare was about $320 and mine, on a one-way ticket that was not upgradable, was $176. The point is that when the system works, it's still the best in the world. jsharkey@nytimes.com."
Serves him right if he gets stuck on his return for several hours.