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.

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