My anti-gvt interference ends with taking people hostage...thanks Dem Sen Boxer!

[Christians4LessGvt]

DOT Imposes Tarmac Delay Fines 

Nearly 19 months after DOT implemented the Three-Hour Tarmac Rule, the Department has fined regional carrier American Eagle $900,000 Monday in the first enforcement of a regulation aimed at curbing airport ground delays that strand passengers on planes for hours, often without food, water or working toilets.

The penalty against American Eagle, a unit of American Airlines parent AMR Corp,imposed for extended tarmac delays affecting more than 600 people on 15 flights last May in Chicago, is also one of the largest consumer protection fines ever levied by the U.S. Transportation Department. As part of a settlement with regulators, American Eagle was mandated by DOT to refrain from future violations of the Three-Hour Rule, and was instructed to use more than a quarter of the fine to compensate passengers.

In a November 14th press release, Kate said, "We fought for the tarmac rule to protect passengers and we are grateful to Secretary Ray LaHood and the DOT for meaningful enforcement of the rule, and the DOT did the right thing mandating that the passengers receive 25% of the fines as compensation for their losses."

The Snowtober Strandings, which left hundreds sitting for hours on the tarmac at Bradley Field in Hartford, CT, brought congressional pressure on DOT to exercise the Tarmac Rule.  Senators Boxer and Snowe, longtime supporters of airline passenger rights, urged DOT to move forward with penalties for violations of the rule.  DOT says that this case has been under investigation for some time, and the senators' letter did not influence the timing of the fine imposition.

American Eagle's parent company claimed that the May delays were due to weather.  FlyersRights maintains that American Eagle' should never have loaded aircraft when they knew, or should have known, that weather conditions virtually assured lengthy delays and cancellations.  As Kate said, we applaud the DOT's forceful action.

http://flyersrights.org/

[kimba1]

pretty much all airlines insist on safety issue to have the option keeping passengers on the plane for long periods of time. but I never hear specificly why,

I still remember one case the crew was switched but the passengers had to stay and most of these delays tend to overfill the toilets.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Why are you blaming Sen. Boxer for this?

[BT]

He isn't. He is thanking her.

[Christians4LessGvt]

He isn't. He is thanking her.

BT I think that is something XO cant really comprehend...lol
thanking and/or heaping praise on your opposition

btw...IMO...that is XO's biggest character flaw

[Xavier_Onassis]

Being as I have NEVER heard one word of praise for any Democrat from CU4, I figured that he was blaming her. Since Boxwer was unmentioned in the article, I figured that it was some vendetta he had against her.

It is not a character flaw to conclude that the rat is coming to steal the cheese. The odds were in favor of CU4 blaming her.

I am opposed to any airline forcing people to wait on the ground in a crowded airplane. I don't think that this is a political belief.

[BT]

Actually CU has thanked Obama for blowing the shit out of terrorists, numerous times. In fact all Obama needs to do is bomb Irans nuke facilities and he has CU's vote.

[Christians4LessGvt]

Being as I have NEVER heard one word of praise for any Democrat from CU4,

Are you that blind? That forgetful? Or just lying?

I have given multiple kudos/praise to Democrats
on many occasions which include but are not limited to:

Praised Bill Clinton for signing Welfare Reform.
Priased Bill Clinton for his 1997 support for a cut in the capital gains tax
Praised Bill Clinton for his brilliant strategy in the Kosevo War.
Praised Bill Clinton for his "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and Defense Of Marriage Act.
Praised Bill Clinton for shooting cruise missiles at Saddam Hussein.

Priased President Obama for retaining Bush Defense Sec Gates
Praised President Obama for giving ok to kill Bin Laden.
Praised President Obama for ramping up drone attacks on IslamoNazis in many countries.
Praised President Obama for his increasing troop surge in Afghanistan.
Praised President Obama for his not ending the Bush Tax Cuts.
Praised President Obama for not closing Gitmo.
Praised President Obama for appointing General "BeTrayUs" to several high level positions.
Praised President Obama when he has stated he thinks a marriage is between a man & woman.
Praised President Obama when he allowed the SEALS to kill the pirates.

Praised Democrats in Congress for overwhelming voting for the Patriot Act.
I have previously praised Dem US Senator Boxer on the airline passenger issue.

The list goes on and on and on and on.......

[Xavier_Onassis]

Actually, I simply did not notice.

Lying? Why would I lie? What would be the point?

I do not keep a running total of who says what about anyone.

[Plane]

   For the airline the issue is security, all the people on the plane have been searched, and don't wish to be searched again.


     I propose that the airport buy about eight busses, or a larger number if there are liable to be a greater number of stranded aircraft.

      These busses could be made very comfortable and could include toilets that are full sized. The comfort bus could park next to the stranded aircraft and allow the distressed passengers to disembark and decompress with greater legroom.  Perhaps offer complementry food. Then the Bus could give the passengers back to the aircraft as soon as the problems that stranded the aircraft were solved.

      Buying a bus and making it cushy won't be cheap, but the fleet of busses would not be useless the rest of the time and the fines they would prevent would pay for the fleet pretty soon.

[Xavier_Onassis]

I would say that this makes sense.

[Plane]

  I just consulted with a Bus expert I know , he says a bus fitted out like that would cost at least an hundred thousand dollars.

     If American Airlines had avoided this fine with a fleet of eight busses they would be money ahead.

     Even more , if the airlines can avoid cancelation of flights this way it would improve their ability to make a profit.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2061356/American-Eagle-Airlines-fined-900k-keeping-passengers-waiting-3-hours.html

[kimba1]

the airlines are prefering to cancell flights because of the timelimits. again why won`t the airlines say exactly why they need 4+ hours delays??

[Xavier_Onassis]

Airlines do not want to keep people trapped on the tarmac.There is always a reason for it,and reasons vary.

Often it it because of some maintenance issue.Once American had me waiting for 45 minutes because they were having trouble getting the door to the bathroom discharge to close properly. I would rather wait 45 minutes than have an accident.

After an hour, they need to take people off again and let them wait somewhere more comfortable. The bus sounds like one good idea.

[kimba1]

understand safety issues,but the preference for the passengers to stay for a unlimited amount of time,I don`t understand. the limit is 3 hours so it`s stilla pretty long period for the passenger to stay and still the airline resist.

would the question be why are thier so many delays to begin with?   over a hundred in the past year and is the airlines addressing it or giving up finding a solution.

I understand the causes varies,but is thier action to minimize it?