Rick Seaney, co-founder of FareCompare.com - is a world-class air travel expert.
FareCompare.com presides over a kingdom of sophisticated software that searches out fares and destinations at a billion combinations per query - while keeping track of 500 airlines serving more than 270,000 markets around the globe.
And all of Rick's data is updated continuously - in real-time.
No wonder he's the media's go-to guy for all things air travel. He's got the answers. And he loves to share his knowledge.
That's why Rick and the team created FareCompare.com - to help everyone become an air travel expert, and get the best deals first -- every time they fly.
As usual, there are those in our country (and after all, it’s their “right”) who want to make money on this event. There have been many other life events these folks have had that had a negative impact on them. Enough is enough.
Anyone saying this should grow up. They should be thankful to be alive and compensated for their belongings. What happened to them is part of the gamble of flying – unlikely but possible.
They should count themselves lucky and move on. If they need therapists they should have bought travel insurance to cover this unlikely eventuality. The day US Air can control birds is the day they should become responsible for this.
So far it seems that the airline was in no fault and it was the crews merit that everyone got out safely. I’d take the money and fly again — then again I wasn’t on that plane…
Typical lawyers rushing into get something for nothing. Accidents happen and I am sure USAir will be offering a suitable compensation. Me, I would ask for a lifetime free pass for me and my family and call it even.
Cheers
Birds? Uncontrollable birds? No court in the land will justify a settlement for an act of God.
USAir gave them $5000? The passengers should give the airline the $5000 for saving their lives. Maybe even more than 5G. I think USAir went above and beyond during these troubled times. Shame on those folks lucky enough to be alive. Send your personal check to “Sully”
How ridiculous! Was the airline supposed to prevent a flock of birds from flying across it’s path? Why not sue the airport for allowing birds to fly there, or NYC for allowing birds in their state!? Let’s go further and sue the US for allowing these birds to exist in the USA!
As you can see, I’m fed up with our litigious society. These people should thank their lucky stars, and US Airways, that a qualified, cool-headed pilot was at the controls that day.
I think $5000 is pretty generous under the circumstances. If it comes out later that there was some sort of negligence on the part of US Airways, perhaps a lawsuit would be justified. These people are lucky to be alive due to the skill and bravery of the crew and the fact that the crew had a suitable place to ditch the aircraft. It’s rare to find an accident where at least some blame can be attributed to some entity beyond the forces of nature, but this seems to be one of those exceptions.
The “something for nothing” crowd is at it again. USAir does the right thing and compensates them for lost luggage and assistance and they want more? A better bet would be to sue the birds – at least they have some responsibility for the accident.
I think it’s great that the passengers get $5000. It would be even greater if they signed over the check to Captain Sullenberger.
Shouldn’t we be calling this the “Hudson Splash” ??
As for those who think they can cut a better deal in court — send back the $5k checks and roll the dice; hard to imagine that a NYC ‘jury of their peers’ would be too sympathetic.
This is another classic example of what’s going wrong with this country. The vulture lawyers and therapists are always finding shady ways to line their pockets and make fools out of their clients, and the people think they should get a lot of money for doing nothing. The airline has been very generous and responsive. A terribly ugly situation that turned into an unbelievably heroic and miraculous event.
Give me a break!!! The true American Way—-sue, sue, sue. Greed is rampant in this country. We’ve all had it too good for too many decades, and now people will try anything to recoup $$$$$ to maintain their life style. I say the airline should use that $5k for court costs for that person that sues. Each and every person who survives an accident ought to thank God they are alive.
It sounds like pretty much everyone on this site is agreed that trying to get more than $5000 is greed at its worst. When the accident happened I said to my husband, “I bet the lawyers are circling.” Sure enough I was right. These people should be thanking god they are alive and from what I understand it’s because of the professionalism of the airline crew. When will we get tort reform in this country so lawyers can’t profit from this kind of nonsense?
That’s people, I am surprised that no one has filed a $1,000, 000 lawsuit yet. When I look a the pictures on the Hudson I say thank God everyone survived. It really could have ended a lot worse. Everyone on that plane should thank God they were able to walk away, and take the money.
I would say the majority opinion is strongly against litigation, lawyers and greed. Now if we could just get the lawyers to agree….I think the passengers would be thankful they had such an outstanding flight crew, glad they are alive and happy U.S. Air gave them the money as compensation for their property. I believe this is perhaps the only time a commercial airliner has “crashed” without any loss of life. I don’t see any negligence, just a highly unlikely set of circumstances and a nearly miraculous outcome. As they say “Count your lucky stars” and be done.
I think some are being selfish — what about our active duty and police officers/fire fighters who put themselves out there on the line each day — some don’t even make enough money to support their families.
Suing?? Come on now. The people on that flight are lucky to be alive and USAir seems to be trying to do what they can for them. If these people who are suing had been in the twin towers on 9/11 they probably would have tried to sue the state of New York for bringing on the terrorists.
I was on an Air Lingus plane that landed in Dublin, a number of years ago, with it’s right wing up in flames. We got an overnight at the hotel in Dublin and a flight home the next day. I was docked a days pay from work and never gave it a thought. I was just happy to be alive and to have made it home. Maybe I could have made some money off of it—but then again–maybe greed just isn’t in my make-up. I am disgusted with the vultures (read that lawyers) that jump in and make everything into a money pit. Shame on those people. By the way I fly all over and never give it a thought. What will be will be.
Two problems: In order to obtain recompense from USAirways, the passengers must show that the airline was negligent and therefore legally liable for any injuries they sustained. I have been a claims manager for 30 years and it is hard to see how USAirways is negligent in handing a collision with a flock of birds. Injury on the part of the plaintiff does NOT equal liability on the part of the defendant,
Who said it was birds ? The guy who flew into them ? Why didn’t he avoid them if he seen them. If he didn’t see them then why wasn’t he looking out the windshield? Lot more to this story may still be out there like what was the coversation in the cockpit, what is on the blackbox, who else was in the cockpit besides the captain. Certainly Sully saved the plane: a lot like being saved by a fireman that set the blaze. Best wait on that $5,000 offer.
I agree with almost everything everyone has posted so far. I would like to add that the statistics say it is safer to fly than to drive with in 20 miles of your home. So does that mean we all stay at home. If we are involved in a vehicle crash because of ice or a deer running in front of us would those same people quit driving because they lost confidence?
Hello,
Jon D, above # 20, obviously has absolutely no clou and would do us all a great service by simply keeping his thoughts to himself.
Am just wondering what HE would pay someone if he had a choice in an accident, a split second desicion, to either live or not live.
Nobody at this point knows the facts! If the airline has a liability, I am sure it will be dealt with in a responsible manner by the courts and the insurance companies.
At this time, consider the 5K a great gesture with NO strings attached.
Yes, there are most likely consequences for some people, HOWEVER, I am sure that everyone on that aircraft was very happy to “have landed” again. Thanks to incredible skills, experience and courage ot he two pilots… YES, two.
HHB
Shame on the lawyers tring to make a “dirty buck”. Just be thankful and praise god that you are still alive.
I’m not going to judge those who went through the experience. Maybe compensation is in order. Right now we only assume the birds were the cause of the incident. The investigation will tell what really happened. To be honest if I had been on the plane, I wouldn’t be suing because I would have died of a heart attack. I agree that Captain Sullenberger is a national hero.
I am a retired employee of USAirways and over the years working in several capacities I have been spit on, pushed, cursed at, briefcases thrown at me and people acted like raving maniacs due to their flights being delayed or cancelled. (of which NONE were my fault). I bit my tongue all those years and tried to give the best possible customer service because THAT is my makeup, I have morals/respect, I know how to act/behave to others. However, after reading this, it makes my skin crawl!!! What is wrong with this world today? It’s a disgrace and a sad day that instead of THANKING your luckey stars you had a crew that SAVED YOUR LIFE, you are complaining and trying to get more. SHAME ON YOU!!!! KUDOS to the crew, you made me FEEL PROUD!
It wouldn’t surprise me if PETA sued the airlines and the captain for not avoiding the flock of birds. Hey, it’s the NEW american way…SUE!
#20, this is a plane. You can not just swerve to miss something. You can’t cut on a dime. So maybe he did see the birds, but it was to late.