Comments on: Tarmac delay foolishness: It’s time to limit the airlines, and punish them

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:42:11 +0000

Just in the last two years, more than 200,000 passengers have been stuck on the runways more than three hours since the airlines issued these commitments.
===================================================

The industry has 35 THOUSAND FLIGHTS PER DAY in this country. Most MAJOR AIRLINES have over 50 MILLION PASSENGERS “per year” on their planes……………….and this airline site is up in arms over weather related delays. I keep hearing the complaining, yet, interestingly I never see REAL SOLUTIONS being discussed. Go back to the gate and……………………? would that be cancel? Cancel the downline flights as well? Strand you at the aiport? Book you on the next “available flight” <———that could mean hours if not days. I'm NOT HEARING BETTER SOLUTIONS, just journalistic whining.

By: Bruce InCharlotte

Bruce InCharlotte — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:45:05 +0000

Sadly, the airline did not decide to keep people on the plane all night. What I’ve read and surmised from various reports is that once they landed, there was a series of “imminent departures” that kept everyone in place. First, they were told a new crew was coming, then they were told a bus was coming, then they were told that they couldn’t leave the aircraft because there was no secure place for them to go. There may be more and who told them these various things is in question.

Passengers, at least at the time this is going on, tend to be sheep. Most will take their direction from the crew, as they should, and don’t speak up for those rights. And speaking of rights, you pretty much have none on board. Good luck with a lawsuit – you will lose.

By: Janet Engel

Janet Engel — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:24:17 +0000

How is it that no one simply demanded to be let off the plane, or at bare mimimum got on their cel phones, called 911, CNN, local news stations, or even the police to DEMAND that someone come help them. Was no one on Twitter for God Sake? It staggers the mind that this could actually have happened? I am shocked that no one just plain panicked and absolutely demanded to be let off the plane or even got creative and “faked” an emergency. How shameful this airline / airport let this happen.

By: Raven

Raven — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:13:54 +0000

Force all members of congress, including Ms. Nancy Pelosi, the first speaker to have her own private 747, to fly COACH in commericial jets.

See how fast those laws get passed.

By: laura

laura — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:45:58 +0000

Hopefully there were no children on board….

By: Dan at Airships.net

Dan at Airships.net — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:39:40 +0000

Why is the refusal of the Continental Express crew to allow passengers to leave the plane not a criminal matter?

If I invited 47 people to my house for a 3 hour dinner party, and then locked the door and refused to allow them to leave for an additional 9 hours, I would surely be arrested and charged with kidnapping and/or false imprisonment.

Why is this not the appropriate response to this matter, and also the most just, in terms of respecting the rights of the victims?

By: Business travel group supports turn-back law for airlines — who will join it?

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:33:24 +0000

[...] Alliance president Charlie Leocha, who went a step further today, calling on the government to punish the airline CEOs for tarmac [...]

By: Richard Trilling

Richard Trilling — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:20:57 +0000

What happens if the delay creates a medical emergency

I’m a diabetic and my wife has to take a shot has to take an injection of LOXEN befor a flight. LOXEN is an anticoagulent; this is due to the fact that at one point several years ago she suffered from mutiple pulmenairy embolisms.

Obviously we have the appropriate medical documentation with us.

Sincerely