Comments on: Court Throws Out New York’s State Passenger Bill of Rights http://rickseaney.com/2008/03/25/court-throws-out-new-yorks-state-passenger-bill-of-rights/ Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:39:19 GMT http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jim http://rickseaney.com/2008/03/25/court-throws-out-new-yorks-state-passenger-bill-of-rights/#comment-15403 Jim Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:19:24 +0000 http://rickseaney.com/2008/03/25/court-throws-out-new-yorks-state-passenger-bill-of-rights/#comment-15403 If passengers want a bill of rights that put time limits on gate returns, that's fine. But passengers...especially those in high density Northeast, with winter conditions being what they are...better get used to the idea of not flying much. When a bad weather hits at your departure or destination, and you sit for the "alloted" time, when you return to the gate, you're probably not leaving today...or tomorrow. First of all, when the door opens, the crew's flight time requirements change...they are Federally limited as to the time they can be on duty time and flight time. Due to the door opening and the time spent on the tarmac now counted as duty and block time, you are most likely going to need a different crew. Let's not even think about security checks, bag checks (Every bag is matched with every passenger once the gate closes...and that will have to be redone), refueling the aircraft, getting another release time (every aircraft needs a "slot" to fit into the ATC system), and what about the money that the passengers are going to have to dole out for such extras...you didn't think the airlines were going to pay for it, did you? Best of luck with that Bill of Rights... If passengers want a bill of rights that put time limits on gate returns, that’s fine. But passengers…especially those in high density Northeast, with winter conditions being what they are…better get used to the idea of not flying much. When a bad weather hits at your departure or destination, and you sit for the “alloted” time, when you return to the gate, you’re probably not leaving today…or tomorrow. First of all, when the door opens, the crew’s flight time requirements change…they are Federally limited as to the time they can be on duty time and flight time. Due to the door opening and the time spent on the tarmac now counted as duty and block time, you are most likely going to need a different crew.

Let’s not even think about security checks, bag checks (Every bag is matched with every passenger once the gate closes…and that will have to be redone), refueling the aircraft, getting another release time (every aircraft needs a “slot” to fit into the ATC system), and what about the money that the passengers are going to have to dole out for such extras…you didn’t think the airlines were going to pay for it, did you?

Best of luck with that Bill of Rights…

]]> By: supun http://rickseaney.com/2008/03/25/court-throws-out-new-yorks-state-passenger-bill-of-rights/#comment-9539 supun Sun, 30 Mar 2008 06:02:32 +0000 http://rickseaney.com/2008/03/25/court-throws-out-new-yorks-state-passenger-bill-of-rights/#comment-9539 I'm kind of sad that this bill got trashed. I was stuck on the tarmac in St Louis for 5 hours because of bad communication between United Airlines and the airport tower. It was frustrating to just be sitting there without any food or service for 5 hours while the pilot kept telling us we'll be back in the air "any minute from now". Some of the passengers I was stuck with told me some nightmares of being stuck for even longer times. The costumer service reps that I talked to seemed to be trained to be callous to the complaints I had. So, I think this issue needs to pressed into the policy makers a bit more. Are there any consumer advocate groups that can help passengers that get crappy treatment some compensation? I’m kind of sad that this bill got trashed. I was stuck on the tarmac in St Louis for 5 hours because of bad communication between United Airlines and the airport tower. It was frustrating to just be sitting there without any food or service for 5 hours while the pilot kept telling us we’ll be back in the air “any minute from now”. Some of the passengers I was stuck with told me some nightmares of being stuck for even longer times.

The costumer service reps that I talked to seemed to be trained to be callous to the complaints I had. So, I think this issue needs to pressed into the policy makers a bit more. Are there any consumer advocate groups that can help passengers that get crappy treatment some compensation?

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