US airlines have not lived up to their commitment in 2000 to develop plans for ensuring passenger comfort and convenience during long ground delays, a government watchdog said late on Tuesday.
Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel said in a report to Congress that major airlines have specifically failed to develop contingencies for stocking enough food and water or sort out when and how they would get passengers off planes during extremely long delays.
"This should be a top priority area for the airlines," Scovel said in the report released ahead of hearings in the House of Representatives and Senate on Wednesday and Thursday on airline service.
