Tue, Sep 23, 2008
Congress To Give Airlines "War Insurance," But Passengers Left
On Tarmac -- Indefinitely
With Congress about to pass an
emergency extension of legislation re-authorizing the Federal
Aviation Administration, the airlines appear poised to receive $500
million in "war insurance" guarantees paid by tax dollars, but the
legislation fails to contain an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights
that would give relief to flyers who are now stuck inside the
aircraft indefinitely while planes' departures are delayed.
"The airlines' lobbyists and campaign donations seem to have
secured them a seat in First Class, while the passengers are stuck
back in coach -- for eight or nine hours at a time," said Kate
Hanni, President of the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill
of Rights.
"The airlines spent $16 million this year alone on lobbying.
It's beginning to appear they got their money's worth."
"Today, the airlines can keep you stranded indefinitely on the
tarmac in a sealed metal tube, and there's nothing you can do about
it. We're only asking that after three hours plus one hour for
pilots to determine if it's safe to deplane, they take you back to
the terminal and let you get some fresh air, food, fresh water and
a toilet that works.
"Maybe if more Members of Congress rode in coach with the rest
of us instead of flying in First Class or on corporate jets, they'd
be more compassionate. In the meantime, we'll make sure their
constituents know how they're giving their airline donors big bucks
while passengers get bumped."
Hanni, a private citizen who took on the airlines after she was
forced to sit for 9 hours waiting for a flight to take off, says
that the Coalition will do "everything in our power" to apply
citizen pressure to the legislators in the days remaining before
both Houses take up legislation extending the FAA's
re-authorization. The FAA's authorization expires on September 30
and Congressional leaders have not said when the re-authorization
legislation will be voted upon.
The Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights is
currently the largest non-profit airline passengers' rights
organization in the world with 24,000 members.
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