so basicly they want less business

[kimba1]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/03/09/financial/f055846S41.DTL&tsp=1

it doesn`t help that they don`t empty the toilet before take-off.

that was pointed out in one article.

[Universe Prince]

so basicly they want less business

No. Basically, they cannot afford to simply delay flights because the government regulation and fine for delayed flights is too expensive a burden. And Continental is not the only airline making this choice. As I understand it, pretty much all airlines are taking the cancel rather than delay route. The regulation is a stupid regulation that is doing absolutely nothing to improve airline service.

[Amianthus]

In January, coming back from Florida, my flights were not delayed. But I had a friend that was travelling back from Florida the same day and their flights went a different route. The layover airport was getting snow in the morning, and while the airport would have been open later in the day, the airline cancelled the flight rather than hold it for the weather to clear up. Took them a day longer to get back to Minneapolis than I did.

[Christians4LessGvt]

I actually wrote Barbara Boxer and told her I don't agree with her on much,
but that I appreciated her efforts in stopping this ridiculous and what should
be illegal behavior by airlines.

If a plane is stranded on the ground for more than 2 hours I think citizens
should not be allowed to be held captive against their will on airplanes.

Passengers should have the right at a certain point to demand they be
released and are willing to wave their rights to any recourse if they do so.

I dont give a shit about getting my money back, litigation, or any
other "revenge"....I just want off the G.D. airplane!

I am all for free enterprise, I am pro-business, and libertarian leaning in
many ways.....but I do not agree that airlines should be able to hold
passengers hostage against their will after a reasonable amount of time.

Also have you ever noticed that most all of these nightmare incidents
where passengers are held against their wills for hours and hours without
proper water/food/ventilation almost never involve Southwest Airlines?
I can't help but think some of these airlines just need to understand
holding passengers against their will in the United States of America is
not an option.

I have some situtational panic/anxiety disorder so there will be two options
if one of these nightmare held hostage on a plane happens to me....
I will take several sleeping pills...enough to knock me out...or I will be arrested
trying to escape.

[kimba1]

what i meant is they would prefer to cancel the flight than deplane the passenger to a more comfortable area till the delay is resolved.

the last article on delays had the people wait 4+ hours ,a changed flight crew and when all resolved a non-working toilets for the long flight.

also wouldn`t getting the passengers off the plane also saves them from fines?

meaning anything that require canceling would be the same excuse to deplane.

[Universe Prince]

I am all for free enterprise, I am pro-business, and libertarian leaning in
many ways.....but

This is why libertarianism has trouble gaining a foothold in U.S. politics. Many people agree with libertarian thinking until something they don't like happens then they want someone to make a law. "I'm all for thus-and-such, but there oughta be a law against when it doesn't give me the result I want." It's kinda depressing.

[Christians4LessGvt]

kimba...they have their reasons...but the airlines gotta find answers...REAL ANSWERS to get around the roadblocks....I think they say they can't deplane because the gate has already been filled with passengers for the next flight...blah blah ect.....the one in Minnesota last year held passengers hostage on the plane overnight because "all the gate crews had gone home".....I say BULLSHIT....thats not a legal or acceptable answer....you should not be able to keep people trapped on a plane overnight because the gate crew had all gone home and are in their jammies watching Greta.

[Amianthus]

the one in Minnesota last year held passengers hostage on the plane overnight because "all the gate crews had gone home"

That was not the fault of the airline, the crew was told that by airport security. That airport was not a 24hr airport, so pretty much only security was in the building.

Though, if I ran that airport, I would have woken a few people up...

[Christians4LessGvt]

That was not the fault of the airline, the crew was told that by airport security. That airport was not a 24hr airport, so pretty much only security was in the building.

Maybe, maybe not.
Could the crew have declared an emergency?
Did the crew radio their own airline controllers and demand a solution or were they too passive?
I am sure they radioed....but what was the answer....whatever the answer it was unacceptable.
what did the airline dispatch do to halt this ridiculous situation? and why did they fail to find a solution at any cost?
Maybe if it costs the airline and others involved about $100K in fines to not allow and/or solve this kind of problem they'll find an answer.
If 100K fine doesn't get a solution, well maybe $250K fine will get the solution.
The problem isn't that there is not a solution.
The problem is the pain of allowing this is not high enough...
It's too easy just to say "F the passengers...they can wait....we've got our protocol to follow".
Keeping passengers on planes against their will for hours and hours and hours....just should not be an option
Once that is clear....answers/solutions will be found.

Also a federal investigation found that the some of carriers involved violated a law that prohibits unfair
and deceptive practices in air transportation.

[Amianthus]

It's my understanding that they did get in touch with their airline (Continental Express, IIRC) and the airline was not able to get anywhere, either. The crew was stuck on the plane as well, so I'm sure they were just as anxious to get out as the passengers.

[Christians4LessGvt]

it's looks like everyone points at the other guy
the Trans Secretary says the flight crew was not at fault
but fines were handed out to all three carriers
whatever the spin.....it should not happen

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/joesharkey/2009/08/21/transportation-secretary-expressjet-crew-not-at-fault-in-all-night-passenger-stranding-in-minnesota-but-there-was-really-a-complete-lack-of-common-sense-here/

[Amianthus]

Yeah, complete lack of common sense is a good description. The security team at the airport could have opened an area in the terminal for the passengers and kept it as a "secured" area. And provided access to restrooms and food at the very least.

If the security person in charge didn't want to make that call, they should have bumped it up to someone senior at the airport.

As I said, I would have woken someone up.

[Christians4LessGvt]

i read once where a passenger stuck on a plane in Germany called the police and declared an emergency
and they actually dispatched police to force the airline to allow him to get off. i cant imagine that would
happen in most american cities.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2005/dec/31/theairlineindustry.weather

[kimba1]

I seriously gottta back ami on this

why is the concept of getting the people off the plane and butting them in a TEMPORARY area for ANY airport a problem?

the primary answer is logistic,but this problem has been going on for years

so why are the airports not even attempting to work around it?

ex. bypass lane for emergency exacuations

[kimba1]

I don`t recall
do passengers get discounts if they get 3+ hours delays ?