Continental fined in USA for delay

[kiwitripper64]

Have consumers made enough fuss to make regulators take notice of airline delays? Or was there a politician on the plane?

link at
DOT fines airlines for six-hour tarmac delay - Business travel- msnbc.com

"The Department of Transportation issued a fine against Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines for stranding passengers in Rochester, Minn., for nearly six hours last August. It is the DOT's first-ever fine for an airport stranding.
The agency “levied a total civil penalty of $100,000” against the carriers for their roles in the Aug. 8 incident, according to a press release. DOT also penalized Mesaba Airlines $75,000 for the way it handled ground operations."
"The department's actions comes as Congress weighs passengers' rights legislation that would place a three-hour cap on how long airlines can keep passengers waiting on tarmacs before they have to offer them the opportunity to deplane or return to a gate. The measure would give a flight's captain the authority to extend the wait an additional half hour if it appears that clearance to takeoff is near."

 

[sampson]

About time. But what happens if planes are stuck circling over Sydney? Does the Government fine itself for incompetence?

 

[UP4014]

Have consumers made enough fuss to make regulators take notice of airline delays? Or was there a politician on the plane?

link at
DOT fines airlines for six-hour tarmac delay - Business travel- msnbc.com

"The Department of Transportation issued a fine against Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines for stranding passengers in Rochester, Minn., for nearly six hours last August. It is the DOT's first-ever fine for an airport stranding.
The agency “levied a total civil penalty of $100,000” against the carriers for their roles in the Aug. 8 incident, according to a press release. DOT also penalized Mesaba Airlines $75,000 for the way it handled ground operations."
"The department's actions comes as Congress weighs passengers' rights legislation that would place a three-hour cap on how long airlines can keep passengers waiting on tarmacs before they have to offer them the opportunity to deplane or return to a gate. The measure would give a flight's captain the authority to extend the wait an additional half hour if it appears that clearance to takeoff is near."

Excellent, there has been some appalling cases in the US of passengers being stuck for hours. A few more $100K fines and some operation managers may wake up to the the fact people don't like it. (gee this airline would run better with no passengers causing problems)