Passenger bill of rights rejected

Seems we can forget about passenger bill of rights. A federal appeals court today  struck down a state law requiring airlines to give food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers stuck in delayed planes, saying the measure was well-intentioned but stepped on federal authority.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said New York’s law — the first of its kind in the country — interferes with federal law governing the price, route or service of an air carrier.

The law was passed after thousands of passengers were stranded aboard airplanes for up to 10 hours on several JetBlue Airways flights at Kennedy International Airport on Valentine’s Day last year. They complained they were deprived of food and water and that toilets overflowed. A month later, hundreds more passengers of other airlines were stranded aboard planes at JFK after a daylong ice storm.

Congress, which has been heavily lobbied by airlines, so far has not passed any passenger rights legislation. The industry beat back a similar push for legislation in 1999 after agreeing to adopt a voluntary customer service initiative.  

Last year I was flying out of Reagan National Airport in DC. We left the gate but turned back due to a thunderstorm.  So there we sit on the tarmac for an hour or so waiting for the storm to pass.  It was hot inside the plane, no water was offered, it was around lunch time so people were getting hungry. They did offer  (at our cost) a trail mix package.  The general opinion from the passengers was “why did they even leave the gate in the first place?’”

I’ve also been stuck on the tarmac in winter conditions, waiting for de-icing or runways to be cleared.  I understand weather is unpredictable and the airlines and travelers are at it’s mercy.  But being denied the basics when stuck in an airplane is inexcusable in my opinion. I also think there should be a set time limit how long a plane can remain on the tarmac before it turns back to the gate.

I’m disappointed but will it keep me from flying? NO, and the airlines know it! People are flying now more than ever. As long as lobbyist and special interest groups  control Washington we most likely will not see any legislation passed. Something to keep in mind when you head to the polls in November.  What candidate(s) is closely aligned with  lobbyists? They answer to them first, not to the people who voted them into office.