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So You Want a Revolution?
ChrisCrossings · September 23, 1999

Q: I read your last column with interest, particularly your lines: "The problem is that they aren't doing it together, with a single voice. Until they do so, I think the carriers will continue to get away with what they're doing." Well, if you want to generate traffic to your site and be a hero, why don't you take the lead and be the flash point? I propose that you start an organization to allow passengers to speak with that one voice. You can be the catalyst to draw the millions who will gladly join. People will support such an organization, they dream of it, but they have to know where it is. You have a high profile already to get things off the ground.

-- Chris Meredith

A: I'm flattered you think I could pull something like that off. (For those of you who didn't tune in last week, I said airlines would keep treating us like cattle until we got organized.) I wouldn't mind trying, but let's first look at what it would take to bring everyone together. Then we can talk specifics.

There are a number of organizations that purport to represent the air traveler. Each is working in its own way to effect changes, but, by and large, they are flying solo:

The Air Travelers Association emphasizes safe air travel, largely catering to the leisure crowd. Its president, David Stempler, often leads the charge against unsafe or unfair airline practices. ATA -- not to be confused with the Air Transport Association, which is a lobbying group for the major airlines -- makes its money by publishing a newsletter and an Airline Safety Report Card.

The Business Travel Coalition, despite its name, has evolved into an advocate for all airline passengers. Kevin Mitchell is the closest thing to a full-time lobbyist for passenger rights that we've got. But he also represents the interests of large corporations like Black & Decker, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, and Procter & Gamble. Even thought BTC is funded by corporate dollars, it often works to promote the interests of all travelers by calling for greater competition among the airlines.

The Commercial Travelers Association is one of the oldest organizations of its kind. It looks out for business travelers, lobbying against Saturday-night stayover requirements and exorbitant payphone rates, among other issues. With 20,000 member, it is also among the largest passenger advocacy groups.

Finally, the up-and-coming online advocacy sites such as Passengerrights.com and Airlinessuck.com are trying to bring travelers together to fight for change. Brian Swain, a Lynnwood, Wash., importer who launched Airlinessuck.com this spring, recently told me, "The pilots have a union, the airlines have a union, but the passengers don't have a union. They don't speak with one voice."

Here's where it gets interesting. You want to know why no one has brought all of these groups together? Try politics for starters. The Air Travelers Association and the Commercial Travelers Association don't necessarily share the same agenda. (CTA is a volunteer organization, ATA sells newsletters and reports.)

What's more, the interests of leisure travelers and business travelers are often not the same. Tourists benefit from the lower fares that business travelers subsidize. "Most of these organizations," quips CTA president Jim Haynes, "aren't on the same page. May in fact never be on the same page."

It gets worse. The Business Travel Coalition represents corporate travel buyers, who will benefit from more airline competition, but has little in common with Passengerrights.com, a site owned by a Maitland, Fla., company that also sells travel agency accreditations. It's got even less in common with Airlinessuck.com.

So you say you want a revolution? Well, here's the kicker: I'd love to be your leader, but I'm probably not cut out for it. As someone who covers this business, I've had to write about these groups, and as you might suspect, I haven't always written nice things about them. Mitchell and I go a long way back, and although I haven't been critical of him lately, I'd say there's absolutely zero chance that he'd take anything I suggest seriously.

I'm on good terms with Stempler and Haynes, but the folks at Passengerrights.com can't stand me, primarily because I continue to point out the conflict of interest between advocating passenger rights and selling instant travel agency "credentials."

In principle, bringing these groups together wouldn't be so difficult. With the right unifying personality and a charter that everyone could agree on, an organization with the same clout as, say, the American Association of Retired Persons could easily be formed.

Whoever it is, I hope he or she comes along soon.

Christopher Elliott's column appears on Thursdays. All e-mailed questions to ChrisCrossings become property of Ticked.com and may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. You may reach Elliott at christopher@elliott.org. Or visit his home page at http://www.elliott.org.