I was just informed of this bill today and from the initial reading of it and from talking with a few pilots (I’m a pilot myself), I think this bill is ridiculous!

Like Frank mentioned, I don’t believe it accounts for weather delays or anything of that sort. Most delays are out of control from the pilots and airline. It also is behooves the airlines to depart on time, they have enough penalties for being late for slot times and other administration fees, etc, they and specifically the pilots, don’t need added pressure. About weather delays, I can’t believe someone could possibly think they could make it law that the airlines are responsible for the weather!

I can understand that people could be frustrated to get delayed and the only person or organization that’s easy to blame is the airline…. not the maintenance company, or the air traffic controllers, or the airline’s Director of Weather… (joke!) or anyone else. I think it should be pointed out to the passenger that this is not their right to travel on an airline, let alone demand that they leave precisely on time regardless of any factor! Passengers are provided with immense amounts of information and claiming ignorance regarding an airlines reputation or not knowing that airlines do experience delays, will just prove your lack of interest instead. If an airline has a bad reputation for being always delayed for mechanical reasons, no, that is not normal and you should fly with a different airline. You have that right!

The main reason I’m against this bill other than the above mentioned points, is that, being a pilot, the last thing you want is a Passenger Bill of rights overriding the authority of the Pilot-in-Command’s authority to decide the proper course of action for his/her flight. As soon as you put undue pressure on the PIC of an aircraft, you significantly increase the chances of an accident and some of the biggest accidents in aviation have happened from a very small and non-apparent decision that ended up having grave consequences. Managing stress and other human factors is a big part of a pilot’s life. As pilots there are courses dedicated to Human Factors that you’re required to take. There are seminars on this topic as well as recurrent training throughout your whole career… if one thing goes wrong on a flight, who is the public going to be asking questions of? The Captain!

As much as I hate being a customer and getting taken advantage of by big companies and feeling helpless, the majority of people need to get familiar with how an airline works and familiarize themselves with the aviation industry. It is not a taxi you hop into on Friday night to go out on the town, it’s a 500,000 lb (up to 975,000lbs) piece of metal that flies through the sky at 570 mph and you’re strapped to it! Getting to know a little bit about the aviation industry and the aircraft that you fly on would behoove you as passengers!

The intent, I believe, is to make it sufficiently expensive so that they will not consider, under any circumstances, doing this.
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In a summary of his bill (C310) airlines are required to follow stringent passenger service rules. In case of cancellation of a flight passengers will be given a choice of reimbursement or re-routing as well as meals, refreshments and a means of communications. During delays of more than two hours passengers would get meals, refreshments, overnight accommodation if necessary and reimbursement should the delay last more than five hours.

Bill, Am I missing something, because I dont see WEATHER DELAYS being exempt from this legislation. Arent Tarmac delays usually a result of weather, hence, this legislation would include fog, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, lightning, snow storms, etc.

The intent, I believe, is to make it sufficiently expensive so that they will not consider, under any circumstances, doing this.

I support the bill, and hope that no airline pays the fine.

HIGHER COSTS to operate the airline, where-oh-where do you think the MONEY to pay for all that will come from?