Ever Been “Trapped on the Tarmac”? Relief May be in Sight

July 21, 2009 | Posted in: Airline News,Ask Rick,Delays,Passengers

The senate is expected to vote today on legislation that would force airlines to let passengers off their planes – if they’ve been waiting three hours for take off.

Such “trapped on the tarmac” episodes typically take place when airlines are waiting out terrible snowstorms or other obnoxious weather.

The airlines however, are opposed to the legislation: they want the flexibility of being able to take off the moment, say, a break in the weather appears – and if they have to wait to round up all the passengers and get them back onboard, that “break” can disappear.

Hmmm. As one who’s spent his fair share of time sitting on an idling airplane, I can see both sides – and in fairness to the airlines, they’ve done a much, much better job in recent years of getting people off planes – without any legislation.

That said, its seems to me their change of heart wouldn’t have happened without some horrendous publicity about people trapped on tarmacs for hours without food or water.

Readers – please sound off on this.

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4 Responses to “Ever Been “Trapped on the Tarmac”? Relief May be in Sight”

1. TennTom says:

   July 21, 2009 at 10:36 am

   It seems to me that 3 hours is a pretty big window to work in. It would be great to think that no airline would ever break the new law (if it is passed), but it probably won’t take long for it to happen.

   I have never been particularly claustrophobic, but I have to say that sitting and roasting (depending on the time of year) in a relatively small tube on a tarmac… breathing stale air, and waiting for an open-ended amount of time does instill a little bit of “panic” in me. At least the law will theoretically close that open “end”.
2. law needed says:

   July 21, 2009 at 11:14 am

   Laws are needed to deter stupid behavior – and airlines are capable of needlessly holding passengers on the tarmac for hours without food, water, or working bathrooms. They have demonstrated this in the past. While the number of incidents may have declined – it still happens and the airlines need to be on notice that it will cost them dearly for this sort of behavior.
   Waiting for hours for a “break in the weather” is just blowing smoke. They have weather radar that shows the pattern of the weather and can tell if the wait will be an hour or multiple hours. There is not excuse for the multiple hours wait – for weather breaks or for fixing the little red light in the cockpit that really does not mean anything but until we get it fixed we cannot fly! If the mechanics cannot fix a problem within an hour – the passengers should be allowed to deplane and wait in the somewhat less uncomfortable waiting area than jammed into tiny seats on the plane.
3. Aphorism153 says:

   July 21, 2009 at 11:44 am

   A lot of incidents of trapped-on-tarmac are due to the airlines’ over-reliance on jet ways at American airports. Let us walk to/from the plane/gate and we’ll never have to wait for an available gate.

   We’re bipedal and unafraid of being outdoors for two minutes!
4. Chris E says:

   July 25, 2009 at 4:14 pm

   I have severe Restless Legs Syndrome (no jokes – I am also seriously to the right of Rush on most issues – he is SO wrong on this) and cannot travel long by car or plane unless some really serious reason comes up, i.e. my 79 y.o. mother becomes terribly ill in the opposite coast (God forbid). Yes, I take meds.; no, they don’t help much some time; no, I am not a psycho. Wanna see me freak out? Trap, me on a plane like that, tell me I CANNOT get out of my seat at all for hours…I also have serious back problems, neuralgia, more…yup, I’m a mess. That’s why we need a law.