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Even basketball teams get stuck on the tarmac. The Spurs spent the night sleeping on a grounded airplane (that was experiencing mechanical difficulties) after the team beat New Orleans in Game 7. "We slept on the plane — as much as you can sleep," a team spokesperson said. "We tried to keep some normal semblance of order." [ESPN]
Get ready to spend nine hours on the tarmac without food or water. Senate Republicans yesterday shoved the Passenger's Bill of Rights into the chamber's overhead bin, killing off hope that the bill will pass before the elections. Even worse, the shot-down bill had transformed into a gleaming marvel of consumer protection.
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The Passenger's Bill of Rights returns to the Congressional spotlight late tomorrow afternoon, but the bill isn't yet strong enough to deserve passage.
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justice
fairness
travel
The Credit Card Bill Of Rights Act, which was introduced on Thursday in the U.S. House of Representatives, would limit interest rate hikes and late fee penalties that credit card companies use to unfairly squeeze profits from customers. The bill is sponsored by House Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA).
rights
Last Wednesday, a US Judge rejected airlines efforts to overturn a 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. [ATA vs CUOMO (PDF)]
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]
news from the swamp
passengers bill of rights
news from the swamp
The best practices we identified during our review are not all inclusive, and the airlines or airports should consider incorporating them into their ongoing operations, especially the best practice of setting the maximum amount of time that passengers will remain on-board aircraft before deplaning.More »
passenger's bill of rights
Airlines have broken their promise to make sure passengers are taken care of during long delays, the Transportation Department announced in a report yesterday. Here's how they didn't measure up:
Will a Passenger's Bill of Rights force the issue?
US watchdog says airlines fall short on service [Reuters via Rick Seany]
(Photo: FlyGuy92586)
creative
The House may soon discharge the Passengers Bill of Rights to the floor. The powerful Rules Committee will meet tomorrow to decide which amendments are worthy of floor consideration. Members have until 10 a.m. to file an amendment granting passengers the right to deplane.
passengers bill of rights
The protest's organizers are planning to build a mock commercial aircraft that has seen its passengers' patience and infrastructure wear thin after hours of idling. The 28-foot aircraft, really a long grey tent made to look like a plane, will be adorned by sounds of crying babies, sneezing customers and overflowing toilets.More »
travel
Will July 29, go down in history as airline traveler's Stonewall? 120 passengers staged a protest aboard Continental Flight 1669 after waiting on the runway for over five hours.
So passengers began drumming in unison on the overhead bins. The crew freaked out, one steward admonished them "for destroying airline property," and eventually the police were called, who boarded the plane and disembarked the passengers Continental had said were "becoming violent."
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