Thu, May 17, 2007
Commerce Committee Includes Bill Of Rights In FAA Funding
The Senate vote Wednesday afternoon on its version of the FAA
Reauthorization bill included some good news for the Coalition for
an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights and US PIRG. Both groups
commended the US Senate Commerce Committee for including a
bi-partisan airline passengers’ bill of rights in the bill
approved Wednesday.
The groups also pledged to work with the bill's sponsors,
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), to expand
and improve the basic provision as the bill moves toward final
passage.
"Along with thousands of other passengers left stranded for 8-10
hours or more in non-hygienic planes, I am very pleased that the
committee has moved an airline passengers’ bill of rights
closer to takeoff," said Kate Hanni, spokeswoman for the Coalition
for An Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights. "Now we need to
help our champions Senators Boxer and Snowe to make sure Congress
finishes the job in a way that will guarantee those rights."
PBOR tells ANN the FAA Reauthorization bill includes a provision
providing that passengers trapped on a runway have the basic right
to deplane within three hours, unless the airline has filed with
the FAA its own alternate plan for treatment of passengers in such
situations. The legislation also requires airlines to provide
passengers with necessary services such as food, potable water and
adequate restroom facilities while a plane is delayed on the
ground.
"Although we have serious concerns about the potential
consequences of the current language of the bill’s alternate
plan provision, we have been assured by Senator Boxer that she and
Senator Snowe will continue to work to ensure that the final bill
protects the current common law rights of the flying public and
sets meaningful minimum standards for these airline plans that will
protect the flying public," added Hanni.
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