Consumerist
passengers bill of rights
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lost luggage
DOT To Airlines: Sorry, But People Like To Change Their Underwear
The United States Department of Transportation has finally warned airlines: Most people don't like to go for more than 24 hours without brushing their teeth and changing their underwear. More » -
evil
47 Passengers, Including Two Babies, Trapped On Continental Flight For 11 Hours
When will airlines realize that when a flight gets diverted and things go wrong — you just should not force people to stay on an airplane for 11 hours with only a bag of pretzels to eat. What was ExpressJet's (operator of the Continental flight) excuse? The TSA screeners had gone home for the night, so they couldn't let anyone get back on the plane if they let them off. Oh no! More » -
news from the swamp
House Passes Passengers Bill Of Rights, But Don't Rejoice Yet
The House this week finally passed the Passengers Bill of Rights, ensuring that delayed passengers will have adequate access to food, water, and even restrooms. The ironically delayed piece of consumer legislation has languished for years, but the bill that passed the House still isn't good enough. Under the House legislation, airlines themselves get to decide what constitutes an "excessive delay," allowing them to keep stranded passengers on the tarmac for hours. Let's look at the bill and see what changes need to be made in the Senate... More » -
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]
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travel
Passenger's Bill Of Rights Taxis Toward Passage
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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travel
Valentine's Day Ice Storm 2008? Everybody Panic!
Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Great Valentine's Day Air Travel Massacre—a storm that took down JetBlue's entire operation and ultimately their CEO, too. More » -
news from the swamp
Bush Announces Plan To Ease Holiday Air Travel Delays
President Bush today proposed several measures intended to reduce traffic issues during the busy holiday season as well as shore up some of the most persistent air travel problems consumers face throughout the year. The most significant proposal would open up a "Thanksgiving express lane" through military airspace, and like the other proposed rules, would require the approval of Congress, says the NYT. More » -
passengers bill of rights
US Airways Flight Stuck On Tarmac For 7 Hours
USAToday says that a flight to Phoenix from JFK was stuck on the tarmac for 7 hours on Tuesday. More » -
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creative
Flyer's Rights Protest Involves Airplane Themed Tent, Smelly Portable Toilets
The Coalition For A Passenger's Bill of Rights cracks us up. They went to D.C. and erected an airplane-themed tent complete with smelly portable toilets in an attempt to recreate the feel of a real-life tarmac imprisonment. More » -
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.
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passengers bill of rights
Flyer's Rights Group To Stage Demonstration In D.C.
The Coalition For A Passenger's Bill of Rights is planning a demonstration in the hopes of securing limits on the amount of time passengers can be held on the tarmac against their will. From CNNMoney: More » -
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passengers bill of rights
US Airways Cancels 530 Flights, Lets Passengers Sit On Tarmac 6 Hours With Overflowing Toilets, No Water
ABC 6 in Philadelphia is reporting that US Airways canceled 530 flights on Thursday, 130 of them out of the much maligned Philadelphia International Airport. More » -
cleared for takeoff
Airline Passengers Bill Of Rights Signed Into (New York) Law!
New York Governor Elliot Spitzer signed the first passengers bill of rights into law earlier this week. While the law only cover travelers at New York airports, the state is a major international travel hub, home to Kennedy and LaGuardia, two of the busiest airports in the country. The Air Transportation Association lobbied hard against the measure, saying: "No airline wants to subject passengers to long delays on tarmacs, but customer service can't be legislated." New York responded by legislating the following customer service measures: More » -
stuck on the tarmac
Airline Passengers Bill Of Rights Gutted In Congress
The airline passengers bill of rights legislation that seemed so promising has been gutted by congress according to the Coalition for A Passengers Bill of Rights. More » -
news from the swamp
Weak Passengers Bill Of Rights Moves Through Congress
The House and Senate are competing to see who can pass the weakest version of the Passengers Bill of Rights. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed one version in May, allowing airlines to deny passengers the right to deplane by filing contingency plans with the government. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed another version last week denying passengers any right to deplane. We compare the race to the bottom, after the jump. More » -
passengers bill of rights
JetBlue: 2 1/2 Hour Flight Takes 25 Hours
The Chicago Tribune says that a simple 2 -hour flight from Fort Lauderdale to New York turned into a "25-hour odyssey" for 150 passengers. More » -
passengers bill of rights
Bus Filled With Diverted Delta Passengers Crashes, Driver Killed, Dozens Injured
A bus filled with diverted Delta passengers has crashed in Pennsylvania, killing the driver and injuring dozens of passengers, according to the AP. More »
