Comments on: Government fines Continental, Hawaiian and US Airways for consumer rule violations http://www.elliott.org/blog/government-fines-continental-hawaiian-and-us-airways-for-consumer-rule-violations/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joe Farrell http://www.elliott.org/blog/government-fines-continental-hawaiian-and-us-airways-for-consumer-rule-violations/comment-page-1/#comment-22581 Joe Farrell Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:24:01 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7799#comment-22581 Continental will claim it did not operate the flight, nor did it have operational control since Expressjet has an ops department separate from What did and is going to happen is: 1. Expressjet ops told the Captain under NO circumstances was she to let the people go into an empty terminal or taxi over to the FBO. 2. Being a good employee, the Captain was simply obeying orders. 3. Huge brewhaha occurs. 4. Expressjet throws the Captain under the bus for 'no exercising pilot in command authority' and tells DOT that it merely has guidelines for these events and that the Captain had the ultimate authority. 5. DOT agrees with company that pilot had the ultimate authority and fines them $5,000. 6. Union files grievance with company over throwing Captain under the bus after Company disciplines Captain by suspending for 30 days without pay for incident. 7. Grievance panel finds pilot in command had ultimate authority and was her fault ultimately. We come full circle to the Captain being damned if she did and suspended if she didn't despite doing what she was told. . . . I don't KNOW but somehow I KNOW that is exactly how this gonna come down. Continental will claim it did not operate the flight, nor did it have operational control since Expressjet has an ops department separate from

What did and is going to happen is:

1. Expressjet ops told the Captain under NO circumstances was she to let the people go into an empty terminal or taxi over to the FBO.

2. Being a good employee, the Captain was simply obeying orders.

3. Huge brewhaha occurs.

4. Expressjet throws the Captain under the bus for ‘no exercising pilot in command authority’ and tells DOT that it merely has guidelines for these events and that the Captain had the ultimate authority.

5. DOT agrees with company that pilot had the ultimate authority and fines them $5,000.

6. Union files grievance with company over throwing Captain under the bus after Company disciplines Captain by suspending for 30 days without pay for incident.

7. Grievance panel finds pilot in command had ultimate authority and was her fault ultimately.

We come full circle to the Captain being damned if she did and suspended if she didn’t despite doing what she was told. . . .

I don’t KNOW but somehow I KNOW that is exactly how this gonna come down.

]]> By: Alan Nimby http://www.elliott.org/blog/government-fines-continental-hawaiian-and-us-airways-for-consumer-rule-violations/comment-page-1/#comment-22580 Alan Nimby Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:48:05 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7799#comment-22580 As to the recent Continental tarmac kidnapping: "If violations are proven, the carrier would be subject to a cease and desist order and civil penalties of up to $27,500 per violation." - DOT If that were $27,500 PER PASSENGER, then it would mean something. Especially if it were used to compensate the victims. But a measly 30 grand (and likely to be less, a lot less) is not even a slap on the wrist to some of the biggest miscreants around. As to the recent Continental tarmac kidnapping: “If violations are proven, the carrier would be subject to a cease and desist order and civil penalties of up to $27,500 per violation.” – DOT

If that were $27,500 PER PASSENGER, then it would mean something. Especially if it were used to compensate the victims. But a measly 30 grand (and likely to be less, a lot less) is not even a slap on the wrist to some of the biggest miscreants around.

]]> By: Continental Airlines faces $27,500 fine in tarmac stranding incident http://www.elliott.org/blog/government-fines-continental-hawaiian-and-us-airways-for-consumer-rule-violations/comment-page-1/#comment-22527 Continental Airlines faces $27,500 fine in tarmac stranding incident Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:50:22 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7799#comment-22527 [...] Secretary has said he takes the rights of airline passengers seriously. The department has fined five airlines for infractions that range from airfare disclosure to codeshare violations in the last month. Yet [...] [...] Secretary has said he takes the rights of airline passengers seriously. The department has fined five airlines for infractions that range from airfare disclosure to codeshare violations in the last month. Yet [...]

]]> By: KathyJ http://www.elliott.org/blog/government-fines-continental-hawaiian-and-us-airways-for-consumer-rule-violations/comment-page-1/#comment-22511 KathyJ Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:26:07 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7799#comment-22511 I guess I'm glad the DOT is enforcing these rules, but does it make such a big difference for consumers? DOT has only so many resources; better to target things that really affect consumers, like tarmac incarceration. I guess I’m glad the DOT is enforcing these rules, but does it make such a big difference for consumers? DOT has only so many resources; better to target things that really affect consumers, like tarmac incarceration.

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