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“Today is the day to think about the passengers”

October 23, 2007

Mary Peters got religion. In remarks made at the controversial JFK airline scheduling meeting in Washington this morning, the Transportation Secretary told airlines, “Enough is enough.” Sort of.

“Today is the day to think about the passengers,” she said. “We have got a problem with crippling congestion and debilitating delays at JFK and across this country. We understand the issue and we are going to do what it takes to address it.”

You’ll recall that on Friday, the DOT released its target figures for the number of daily flights that can safely be handled at JFK. To which many of this blog’s readers responded: “Why did they wait this long?”

Peters’ comments should not necessarily be interpreted as pro-consumer, though. There’s enough coded language in her statement to make the big airlines and their lobbyists at the Air Transport Association and the Air Travelers Association happy.

For example:

I am not in favor of a system that limits competition, nor do I want to reduce the ability of new entrants to fly into New York. We are serious about exploring all options to reduce congestion in the New York region, and we must consider schedule reductions.

This almost directly answers one of the concerns raised by airline lobbyist David Stempler, President of the Air Travelers Association, in a press release this morning:

By cutting flights, DOT Secretary Mary Peters is forcing airline passengers to trade delayed flights, for no flights or very expensive flights. That’s a bad deal! Under the guise of reducing airline flight delays, the Bush Administration is going to sacrifice airline passengers’ needs at the altar of congestion relief.

I think air travelers with any sophistication should read between the lines.

There will be lots of talking — some of it in public, but most of it behind the scenes. Small and largely symbolic sacrifices will be made by the airlines to placate the traveling public and the president. But in the end, it will be for nothing.

The airlines and their lobbyists usually get their way in Washington. This is no exception.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

5 comments

  • Joe F.

    Here is the solution to the overscheduling / underutilization [meaning too many RJ's in the traffic mix at an airport like JFK].

    1. All passengers must be told the reason for leaving the gate more than 10 minutes late. Airlines must maintain records of who knew the reason for 6 months to allow the passenger to contact that person to verify the information. Only a passenger on the flight is allowed to obtain that information.

    2. In the event than an aircraft is more than 30 minutes between leaving the gate the airline must pay each passenger $100 for the first 5 minutes over 30, and then $5 per minute thereafter, unless the aircraft arrives within 10 minutes of its scheduled arrival, or the airline is operating the one of the three largest aircraft in its fleet. The only exceptions are when the airline can establish that the delay was brought about by events beyond their control. Having 40 flights scheduled to depart between 7.50 and 8.15am is not an event which is not beyond their control. This will encourage prompt action by pilots and dispatchers to move airplanes off the tarmac, but allow them to accurately schedule the average delay. If the 5pm flight from La Guardia is not scheduled into Chicago until 10.45pm on Fridays in summer, because of extensive delays, then so be it – people can decide if they want to take 6.75 hours to fly a 2 hours flight – and will at least know there is no chance of making a connection.

    2b. Once an airline accepts you for a flight with a connection they are responsible for you until you reach your destination. This means if they take you and there is no chance of making the connection, they must feed and board you until they can out you on a plane. You can always waive it if you want to take a chance.

    3. If an airline has more than 10 delay events for which is must pay passengers in a month the AIRPORT must share the cost with the airline 50/50. This encourages the airport to operate efficiently. The airport and airline may apply to the FAA ticket tax fund for reimbursement if they can prove that the money is being paid out the result of the government be inefficient.

    A pipe dream? Sure. But the ONLY way to stop this type of customer non-service is to make someone pay. Money is a great equalizer. Once an airline has to pay people money, they’ll be alot more realistic and alot less ‘hopeful’ in their treatment of their customers.

  • Jennifer

    There are 6 airports in the New York area as far as I can count (JFK, LGA, HPN, EWR, Stewart, Islip) that can handle commercial jets. The newer low cost carriers (JetBlue, Virgin America) only fly long haul flights to JFK. Why??? Newark is a decent alternative yet only Continental really services this airport. I would pay more if I could fly JetBlue to Newark or even Stewart but no service. Stop just flying into JFK.

  • Mike

    I don’t care when the flight leaves the gate, I care when it arrives. Lots of planes leave the gate on time, only to taxi out and wait behind 25 other planes to take off. The result is an hour or more delay in arrival. Time spent on a taxiway is the wosrt as you are usually restricted from using your computer and other electronic devices and sometimes can’t even get up to use the lav.

    Jet Blue has been adding RJets to its fleet which seems to me to only add to congestion problems at JFK.

  • Jasper

    The EU has a great law on this where airlines have to shell out significant money to customers for being late, whatever the reason is. I think there is a little provision where some (probably unwilling) EU bureaucrat can have something declared an ‘act of God’. But for the most, airlines are just punished for having unrealistic flight schedules.

    Now this has had some effects on the schedules because airlines have suddenly discovered they can give themselves more time to avoid these fines. The only problem seems to be that once you’re in the maximum fine category, the airlines give up on you in favor of other passengers that are not in the worst delay yet.

    You are right that airlines and lobbyists usually get their way in Washington. Fortunately, not so in Brussels. They got Microsoft to pay up, and airlines to take care of their customers. Go EU! My suggestion would be to just copy that law and have it kick in here. In the EU, it has not ended up in total financial chaos for the airlines.

  • Chicky

    The only thing that will get the airlines’ attention is to hit them in the pocketbook. That’s all they understand or respect–particularly our legacy carriers.

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