September 15, 2009 | Business/Law, Consumer Goods

A Bill of Rights for Frustrated Travelers

Anyone who flies regularly has experienced some kind of inconvenience from delays to cancelled flights to endless security lines. These may be the unavoidable hassles of travel. But the number of planes stranded on the tarmac, leaving passengers trapped in the cabin for interminable hours, has many fliers and quite a few airline employees up in arms.

In June of 2009 there were 278 flights that sat in limbo somewhere between the runway and the gate for between three and eight hours. A spokesperson for the Air Transport Association of America (ATAA) says that this number is still statistically low given that there were nearly 600,000 domestic flights that month. However, advocacy groups feel that any amount of tarmac purgatory is unacceptable for travelers, and now some politicians are taking action.

A new bill is up in the Senate, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, which promises to protect passengers from sitting in a grounded plane for long, uncomfortable hours. The bill includes an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights that requires airlines to allow passengers to deplane after three hours, and to provide them with a comfortable atmosphere including food, water, functional restrooms, and regulated temperatures.

The ATAA opposes the new legislation on the grounds that it will cause more delays and inconveniences for passengers, but many fliers maintain that something needs to change. One such traveler, Kate Hanni, launched FliersRights.org after her family was stranded on the tarmac for nine hours in Austin, Texas. Hanni says that the organization fields an average of 400 calls a day from frustrated consumers and anonymous airlines workers.

“And it’s not just a customer service issue,” says Hanni. “It’s about safety, dignity and well-being.”

AUTHOR: Kristina Canizares