PBOR Joins Forces With Other Public Advocacy Groups

The Airline Passenger Bill of Rights (PBOR) made its way to the US Senate this week, as two consumer organizations joined forces with the Coalition for Airline Passenger Bill of Rights to support the group's goal of guaranteeing passengers left for hours on runways such basic rights as food, water and the right to deplane.

The US Public Interest Research Group (US-PIRG) and the Aviation Consumer Action Project (ACAP) announced their full support for The Coalition for an "Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights" (PBOR).

"Airlines and the federal government have failed to treat passengers fairly, and have failed to keep promises to do so," said Hanni, Executive Director of PBOR and one of hundreds of passengers left stranded for nine hours in an American Airlines aircraft in Austin without food, water and working toilet facilities. "We are honored for the opportunity to address the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and detail the terrible ordeal that led to the creation of this 15,000 member Coalition."
 
"One of the key missions of our organization is to ensure that the American public is protected, and that includes airline passengers, who shouldn't be treated like cattle" said Ed Mierzwinski, Consumer Program Director for US PIRG. "We are happy to partner with PBOR and its thousands of members nationwide to ensure the flying public has a voice and legal rights when they board a commercial airplane." 

US PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), takes on powerful interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being.

"The situation today with the airlines can best be described as 'déjà vu' as the problems that nearly brought the national air transportation to its knees in 1999-2000 have now re-emerged," said Paul Hudson, Executive Director Aviation Consumer Action Project, which acts a public voice for air travelers on issues of aviation safety, security and passenger rights. "This requires prompt government and congressional action to prevent a new crisis; we need Congress to enact an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights."

In her testimony before the Senate Transportation Committee, Hanni discussed the horrific ordeal that she, her family and thousands of passengers experienced on December 29, 2006 while stranded aboard several American Airlines jets on the tarmac of Austin (TX) International Airport.

Subsequently, a series of similar experiences occurred aboard major carriers in a number of airports this winter affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of passengers.  

FMI: www.senate.gov, www.uspirg.org/