Comments on: Why I don’t support a Passengers Bill of Rights

By: Passengers Bill of Rights Stranded — or Not? | Travel Sinn | Hotel Sinn

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:42:45 +0000

[...] The day after I wrote this, Chris Elliott posted “Why I Don’t Support a Passengers’ Bill of Rights.” I’m not entirely sure that I agree with him, but he has followed the subject more [...]

By: Passengers Bill of Rights Stranded — or Not? | Discount Hotels | Cheap Hotels Guide

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:53:12 +0000

By: Passengers Bill of Rights Stranded — or Not? | Best Travel Tours | Cheap Travel Tours

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:12:58 +0000

By: Have airlines neutralized the passenger rights movement?

Have airlines neutralized the passenger rights movement? — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:24:01 +0000

[...] stuck on the tarmac — was basically unenforceable, which forced me to do an about-face by withdrawing my support for a Passengers Bill of Rights. But as the group prepares to meet in Washington this morning, I’m convinced that they are [...]

By: Spirit Airlines smacked with record $375,000 fine for consumer rules violations

Spirit Airlines smacked with record $375,000 fine for consumer rules violations — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:01:20 +0000

[...] many of whom feel the DOT had failed to protect passengers in the past. (I’ve also been critical of the agency, but on reflection — and in light of today’s fine — I believe it may be more a [...]

By: Jasper

Jasper — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:34:59 +0000

What pisses me of is this whole “boohoo, I don’t want to be forced by the evil government to return to the gate after 3 hours” attitude of airlines. WTF are you doing 3h on a tarmac anyway?

This whole problem is not hard to fix. Air Traffic Control knows exactly how many planes they can handle per time unit. Airlines know months ahead in time when they want their planes to take off. Airlines also know pretty much to the minute how long it takes to fill up a plane. How hard can it be to plan properly?

Airlines just don’t want to.

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 06:20:45 +0000

@desktraveler

If you hold the departing planes at the gate for an extra hour, where do the full arriving ones go? All we’ve accomplished is shifting who sits around on the tarmac.

By: Mr Bad Example

Mr Bad Example — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:30:46 +0000

@ Joe Farrell,

That is a splendid suggestion and should I ever get to that point I’ll take your sage advise. BTW wasn’t it you who published the story of the Constable/Sheriff who seized and aircraft someplace in CA? This might be a good time to repeat the story. It sounds like an Urban Legend, however I know enough about Small Claims to know that it is possible to do exactly what the story relates.

If it was you please re-tell the story.

By: Passengers Bill of Rights Stranded — or Not? « YuvaBlog.in

Passengers Bill of Rights Stranded — or Not? « YuvaBlog.in — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:01:22 +0000

By: Joe Farrell

Joe Farrell — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:23:52 +0000

If you send a letter of complaint seeking damages or compensation, also send along a copy of the small claims complaint you intend to file.

Dear Airline – I want compensation of ‘X’ dollars by such and such a date in the form of cash / check / voucher because of ‘Y.’ Failing to do so by dates such and such shall result in filing of the complaint attached.

Lets them know you are, in fact, serious. And have already filled out the forms.

By: Joe Farrell

Joe Farrell — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:23:05 +0000

I have an idea where the airlines can actually get some GOOD press for a change . . . if you are ill between Sept 15 and April 30, we’ll let you reschedule your flights and use the full amount of your ticket for a new flight.

Restrictions:

Must rebook ticket for a date and flight certain at time of call
must rebook no earlier than 24 hours before and 48 hours after travel
must certify illness – sure – they’ll be fraud – but some how I think it will be rarer than people think.
You may also designate one change of name in your itinerary from 48 hours prior to travel. [lets people re-sell tickets in a narrow window.

This keeps sick people off airplanes to save $100 and gives the airlines some kudos from health departments and the media.

By: desktraveler

desktraveler — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:32:56 +0000

One more process that could be changed to work with the new rules to make them better… in a case such as an airport being closed for an hour by thunderstorms, instead of having all the planes line up right after the runway re-opens, why not re-schedule the flights in an intelligent way so that people can wait around in the airport for longer if their flight will be farther back in line? An airport knows how many flights can leave in a 1-hour time period, so only re-schedule that many flights for the next hour…. so if an hour’s worth of planes are already boarded when the storm hits, wait at least half an hour after the re-opening until boarding any additional planes for the next hour of departures, and only board 1 hour’s worth of planes once again. Yes, it’s a challenge to get things back on track after a disruption, but be methodical and intelligent about it and you won’t have full planes on the tarmac for hours.

By: Joel Wechsler

Joel Wechsler — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:04:18 +0000

I agree with Matt. Let’s take what we can get rather than wait for the perfect solution. What would be nice would be rules like those in place in the EU, wher a cancelled flight requires significant compensation, which prevents the outcome suggested by Charlie. It should also be possible to devise a system which prevents a flight that has turned back from losing its place in line, thus avooiding the scenario suggested by Doug.

By: Food Budget, Travel with Friends, and Kids Eat Free « SixSuitcaseTravel

Food Budget, Travel with Friends, and Kids Eat Free « SixSuitcaseTravel — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:07:58 +0000

[...] Why I don’t support a Passengers Bill of Rights ~ Elliott.org [...]

By: Mr Bad Example

Mr Bad Example — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:18:23 +0000

For the record, screaming at everyone and anyone in sight DOES NOT WORK!

I am what my southern friends call “Politely Persistent”. Just because it appears that a particular airline at that very moment in time is acting like the biggest bunch of morons on two feet doesn’t mean the person in front of you is and alienating them will get you nowhere.

it’s a process like mot things in business.

1. Attempt to resolve isues on the spot. Get names of all you speak with, Note the gate as all you’ll usually get is a first name or a made up one.

2. If 1 is unsuccessful take what’s offered and get to your destination as quickly as you can. After all that’s why you boarded the plane in the first place

3. Take time to craft a good letter sticking to the facts. Leave the emotions elsewhere.

4. Have a plan and work your plan. Always prepare all of the options. It’s like a chess game.

5. Know what your desired compensation and how much you’ll bend should you not get your desired result. Also know how far you’re prepared to go in pursuit of redress.

I have gotten compensation even when I haven’t asked for it and I think the reason is that I’m polite professional and display determination even in my writing style.

Just to prove a point I had a miss-connect due to prior late arriving aircraft. I ended up in a hotel that was not very good. So while I was watching TV I dug up the Contract of Carriage and I found a specific list of items NOT eligible for compensation. NOWHERE in this airlines CoC does it state that they will not pay for a hotel if the miss-connect is caused as mentioned above. Took me an e-mail and a return phone call but I got my $80.00 back.

See I LOVE rules because if you give me enough time I’ll figure out a way to bend the rules in my favor.