Passenger Bill of Rights for air travel

[Garrobo]

I read the news reports on these incidents and I don't see the problems that the airlines and the airport claimed caused the confinements. I think that somewhere I have read about most large cities have BUSSES. The airport administrators could have sent these BUSSES out to the airplanes, off-loaded the people on to these BUSSES and taken them to the terminal along with their luggage which could have been transported in enclosed TRUCKS. Then the people coluld have been taken to local hotels or motels in these BUSSES and their luggage could have followed them in these TRUCKS. Problem solved!! BUSSES and TRUCKS is the answer airlines officials.

 

[OHGoDive]

This raises an interesting legal question:

I would not sit quietly and not vigorously look for relief from this illegal detention.

I'm fairly certain that, legally, you agreed to do just that when you bought the ticket. Why would confinement on the tarmac for 11 hours be any more cruel and unusual than confinement for 11 hours over the Pacific Ocean at 37,000 feet? Because you can see a terminal???

This was a ridiculous screw-up by an airline. At this extreme, it doesn't happen once a day, once a week, or even once a year. On a per passenger basis it may be only slightly more likely than dying in a plane crash. Getting Congress involved seems even more riduculous. In terms of what the criteria was, what was justifiable or not, who would enforce it, how it would be enforced, what the penalties would be, and, most of all, how much it would increase the ticket prices for the hundreds of thousands of passengers each day that something like this DOESN'T happen to.

Cut the hysteria and hand wringing people. Someone screwed up. We don't need a law every time that happens.

 

[pilot fish]

That is an excellent idea and one you should instruct others on the plane to do as well. One way this is discouraged is by the false updating you all are getting that the plane will be taking off in such and such a time and to move back to the terminal would mean they would lose their spot in take off line.

Question: DO YOU WANT THE PILOT WHO HAS SAT IN THE COCKPIT FOR THE LAST 11 HOURS TO FLY YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION. Idonthingso!

I would call the airline's customer service center (from my cell phone) and tell them that we're stuck on the tarmac, and my next phone call is to the local news.

 

[HowardE]

was the problem (jet blue this week) that there were no available gates, or was it the weather. I thought it was the weather, and that the pilots were waiting for a potential opportunity to take off.

 

[HowardE]

Question: DO YOU WANT THE PILOT WHO HAS SAT IN THE COCKPIT FOR THE LAST 11 HOURS TO FLY YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION. Idonthingso!

Yeah... good question. I don't think so either.

They're just as frustrated as you or anyone else would be also...

 

[pilot fish]

3 hours under new proposed BILL.

However, they are trying to perform. By waiting for what would hopefully be an opportunity to take off, even if that window of opportunity is short.

The question is... when do they draw the line? How long is too long to wait?

 

[OHGoDive]

was the problem (jet blue this week) that there were no available gates, or was it the weather. I thought it was the weather, and that the pilots were waiting for a potential opportunity to take off.

It was a combination of all of these, and some impossibly boneheaded decisions by their staff on the ground.

They are paying restitution and giving refunds to the people on the flights. It's unfortunate, and extreme, but you can't legislate smart decisions.

 

[booth22]

I'm fairly certain that, legally, you agreed to do just that when you bought the ticket.

I don't see it addressed in the contract from JetBlue...I may have missed it though.

Why would confinement on the tarmac for 11 hours be any more cruel and unusual than confinement for 11 hours over the Pacific Ocean at 37,000 feet? Because you can see a terminal???

your missing the point... just because I can drive my car for five hours to Vegas doesn't mean I want to sit in my driveway for those same five hours. It's all about expectations, and I don't think anyone expects (or deserves) to sit on the tarmac for 11 hours.

Cut the hysteria and hand wringing people. Someone screwed up. We don't need a law every time that happens.

Nope, we don't. And had the airlines used some common sense, this would be a non issue.

 

[OHGoDive]

your missing the point... just because I can drive my car for five hours to Vegas doesn't mean I want to sit in my driveway for those same five hours. It's all about expectations, and I don't think anyone expects (or deserves) to sit on the tarmac for 11 hours.

I agree. But, there is a big difference between saying someone disappointed your expectations and someone held you illegally against your will. There were contributing factors, doesn't justify, but it's not like they rolled the plane out on a warm sunny day and said, "hey, let's mess with those folks on Flight 181".

Nope, we don't. And had the airlines used some common sense, this would be a non issue

And common sense here says that petitioning Congress to enact and enforce something arbitrary, uncontrollable, and unenforceable is pointless.

 

[pilot fish]

No, this is not due care and diligence. This is unusual and potentially unsafe, tired pilot. You did not buy a ticket with the expectation of sitting on a runway for 7 or 11 hours. 11 hours over the Pacific is in the normal course of business, sitting on a runway for 11 hours is not. You bought a ticket to FLY, not to be confined or unreasonably detained.

I'm fairly certain that, legally, you agreed to do just that when you bought the ticket. Why would confinement on the tarmac for 11 hours be any more cruel and unusual than confinement for 11 hours over the Pacific Ocean at 37,000 feet? Because you can see a terminal???

This was a ridiculous screw-up by an airline. At this extreme, it doesn't happen once a day, once a week, or even once a year. On a per passenger basis it may be only slightly more likely than dying in a plane crash. Getting Congress involved seems even more riduculous. In terms of what the criteria was, what was justifiable or not, who would enforce it, how it would be enforced, what the penalties would be, and, most of all, how much it would increase the ticket prices for the hundreds of thousands of passengers each day that something like this DOESN'T happen to.

Cut the hysteria and hand wringing people. Someone screwed up. We don't need a law every time that happens.