Comments on: Transportation Department steps up efforts in aviation consumer protection http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Is the government letting airlines off easy? Let’s do the math http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-44358 Is the government letting airlines off easy? Let’s do the math Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:32:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-44358 [...] year, the department assessed $2.5 million in fines and promised to take a tough stand against airlines that violated federal consumer protection [...] [...] year, the department assessed $2.5 million in fines and promised to take a tough stand against airlines that violated federal consumer protection [...]

]]> By: Is the Transportation Department about to turn up the heat on airlines? http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-34319 Is the Transportation Department about to turn up the heat on airlines? Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:16:25 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-34319 [...] the government’s airline cops about to get tough on crime? The Department of Transportation says it is, and now there’s new evidence that it’s following [...] [...] the government’s airline cops about to get tough on crime? The Department of Transportation says it is, and now there’s new evidence that it’s following [...]

]]> By: Transportation Department steps up efforts in aviation consumer … | Tailspin http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-32484 Transportation Department steps up efforts in aviation consumer … | Tailspin Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:57:28 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-32484 [...] post: Transportation Department steps up efforts in aviation consumer … Aviation [...] [...] post: Transportation Department steps up efforts in aviation consumer … Aviation [...]

]]> By: Mona http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31174 Mona Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:33:12 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31174 Instead of wondering where the fine money goes, have you thought about where the airlines get that money to begin with? This is just one more thing that the passengers end up paying out the wazoo that they just don't itemize on the fare schedule. Instead of wondering where the fine money goes, have you thought about where the airlines get that money to begin with? This is just one more thing that the passengers end up paying out the wazoo that they just don’t itemize on the fare schedule.

]]> By: Ando http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31153 Ando Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:44:20 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31153 I have a case pending in Federal court since June 2008....its in US Third Circuit.....monitor this case....Denied boarding INVOL from NWA....Kalick v. Northwest I have a case pending in Federal court since June 2008….its in US Third Circuit…..monitor this case….Denied boarding INVOL from NWA….Kalick v. Northwest

]]> By: Jo http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31084 Jo Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:16:18 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31084 High speed light rail! YES!!! We could have had this a long time ago! Why does it take so long for anything to get done in this country??? I HATE flying. Train travel is so much more relaxing. High speed light rail! YES!!! We could have had this a long time ago! Why does it take so long for anything to get done in this country??? I HATE flying. Train travel is so much more relaxing.

]]> By: Justin http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31083 Justin Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:35:27 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31083 Call me a skeptic but 375,000 is not a HUGE FINE. You are talking about airlines who might be losing money but still remain largely and heavily profitable. Matter of fact, the airlines know that these fines will be a slap on the wrist, compared to the revenue generated. How many simply pay and DON'T complain? It seems until we see MILLIONS of dollars in fines and HIGH dollar, airlines will continue their bad behavior. I once got stuck in Atlanta. Our flight from Dayton to Atlanta was delayed due to deicing. We arrived in Atlanta with 10-15 minutes to spare. Think our plane was there. Of course not. They sold off our seats on the expectation we wouldn't arrive and it left EARLY! No kidding. Sat around for 6 hours while they TRIED to find a crew to cover a flight. After 4 crews agreeing than changing their minds, we finally made it. Seriously... If i ran a company like this.. inept and like a chicken with its head cut off.. I would not last. Somehow the airlines seem to continue going, simply because we have no other choices and the government does a dog and pony show. They PRETEND to care but actually due little to solve the problems. ... Have never used Airtran since. Contintental so far and been happy as a clam. Call me a skeptic but 375,000 is not a HUGE FINE. You are talking about airlines who might be losing money but still remain largely and heavily profitable. Matter of fact, the airlines know that these fines will be a slap on the wrist, compared to the revenue generated. How many simply pay and DON’T complain? It seems until we see MILLIONS of dollars in fines and HIGH dollar, airlines will continue their bad behavior.

I once got stuck in Atlanta. Our flight from Dayton to Atlanta was delayed due to deicing. We arrived in Atlanta with 10-15 minutes to spare. Think our plane was there. Of course not. They sold off our seats on the expectation we wouldn’t arrive and it left EARLY! No kidding. Sat around for 6 hours while they TRIED to find a crew to cover a flight. After 4 crews agreeing than changing their minds, we finally made it.

Seriously… If i ran a company like this.. inept and like a chicken with its head cut off.. I would not last. Somehow the airlines seem to continue going, simply because we have no other choices and the government does a dog and pony show. They PRETEND to care but actually due little to solve the problems. … Have never used Airtran since.

Contintental so far and been happy as a clam.

]]> By: Roxy http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31073 Roxy Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:47:34 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31073 Time for the government to invest in high speed light rail. The airlines keep fighting it because their business of 500ish mile flights would plummet, but hey, competition is good. Time for the government to invest in high speed light rail. The airlines keep fighting it because their business of 500ish mile flights would plummet, but hey, competition is good.

]]> By: LeeAnne http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31071 LeeAnne Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:20:44 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31071 I've been shouting that out for years - ever since I went through my own nightmare tarmac delay. Where DOES the money go? Into the DOT's budget? Or somewhere else? Who exactly is profiting off the backs of wronged passengers? When we are forced to sit on the tarmac for hours with no fresh air or even basic sustenance, it's not exactly comforting to learn that somebody made hundreds of thousands of dollars off our suffering. Yeah, the offending company was punished -- that's great -- but somebody got a nice fat windfall, while all we got was several hours of misery, screwed up travel plans, and not a penny in compensation. When it happened to me, I ended up LOSING money because our friend picking us up from the airport wasn't able to adjust his schedule to come get us hours late, so I had to pay a couple hundred bucks to shuttle my family to our destination. To add insult to injury, I found out that there was a surprise party to welcome us...which apparently was fabulous, but was over by the time we got there. So what good does it do ME if the airline that did this to us got fined? Hey that's great that they got their comeuppance, but...where'd the money go??? And why didn't *I* get a piece of it? I can just see the shouts of joy from the government drones who justified their taxpayer-funded paychecks by wrangling several hundred grand out of the offending airline and into their department's coffers. But in the meantime I'm out hundreds of dollars, we completely missed our own party, and my kids had panic attacks before boarding the flight home, out of fear of once again being denied food and water for hours. Yeah, those fine work out great for us, don't they. :-/ I’ve been shouting that out for years – ever since I went through my own nightmare tarmac delay. Where DOES the money go? Into the DOT’s budget? Or somewhere else? Who exactly is profiting off the backs of wronged passengers? When we are forced to sit on the tarmac for hours with no fresh air or even basic sustenance, it’s not exactly comforting to learn that somebody made hundreds of thousands of dollars off our suffering. Yeah, the offending company was punished — that’s great — but somebody got a nice fat windfall, while all we got was several hours of misery, screwed up travel plans, and not a penny in compensation.

When it happened to me, I ended up LOSING money because our friend picking us up from the airport wasn’t able to adjust his schedule to come get us hours late, so I had to pay a couple hundred bucks to shuttle my family to our destination. To add insult to injury, I found out that there was a surprise party to welcome us…which apparently was fabulous, but was over by the time we got there. So what good does it do ME if the airline that did this to us got fined? Hey that’s great that they got their comeuppance, but…where’d the money go??? And why didn’t *I* get a piece of it?

I can just see the shouts of joy from the government drones who justified their taxpayer-funded paychecks by wrangling several hundred grand out of the offending airline and into their department’s coffers. But in the meantime I’m out hundreds of dollars, we completely missed our own party, and my kids had panic attacks before boarding the flight home, out of fear of once again being denied food and water for hours.

Yeah, those fine work out great for us, don’t they. :-/

]]> By: Lisa S http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31061 Lisa S Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:34:45 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31061 I completely agree with Thomas (above). Not only should DOT be increasing the fines, but the people who are suffering should see some of that money. I completely agree with Thomas (above). Not only should DOT be increasing the fines, but the people who are suffering should see some of that money.

]]> By: John http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31060 John Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:58:45 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31060 It wont do any good to bankrupt the airlines Thomas, then we'll all be stuck taking amtrak or greyhound It wont do any good to bankrupt the airlines Thomas, then we’ll all be stuck taking amtrak or greyhound

]]> By: Thomas http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/transportation-department-steps-up-efforts-in-aviation-consumer-protection/comment-page-1/#comment-31057 Thomas Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:35:15 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10502#comment-31057 I glad to see our government is increasing the fines, but where does that money go? The traveling public is bearing the brunt of the problems, why are they not receiving the compensation? How about this? 100 passengers stuck on the tarmac for 8 hours. $1000 per passenger per hour=$800K. The fine sounds about right to me. I glad to see our government is increasing the fines, but where does that money go? The traveling public is bearing the brunt of the problems, why are they not receiving the compensation? How about this? 100 passengers stuck on the tarmac for 8 hours. $1000 per passenger per hour=$800K. The fine sounds about right to me.

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