Presidential Candidates Silent on Airline Passengers' Rights

Senate Plans to 'Kick the Can' on Passengers' Rights

NAPA, Calif., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights has issued a challenge to each of the presidential candidates to make public their positions on the rights of airline passengers to not be subjected to more than three hours on airport tarmacs and to be provided a minimum amount of food, water, medical attention and other basic human essential needs during lengthy tarmac delays.

According to a recent Zagat survey of frequent air travelers, strong federal passenger rights regulation now has overwhelming public support by a margin of 11 to 1. Kate Hanni, founder and spokesperson of the coalition said, "Americans want to know where the candidates stand on these important issues." Policy request letters were faxed, e-mailed, and hand-delivered to each of the candidate's campaigns

The only candidate with a known track record on this subject is Senator McCain, who led a campaign for passengers' rights in 1999, but then dropped the issue in favor of the airline's self-imposed service improvements. History has shown that the trust placed in the industry was misplaced. The other candidates do not appear to have a track record or public position on these issues.

In related news, sources say that the U.S. Senate is considering an extension to the FAA Modernization Act that will effectively kill passengers' rights legislation this year, despite the fact that tarmac strandings continue to occur. "Our members are outraged. Every day that passengers' rights languish on the tarmac, is another day someone may suffer from diabetic shock or develop a blood clot," said Ms. Hanni.

The extension also affects desperately needed upgrades to the air traffic control system. Passenger enplanements are expected to increase to over one billion in the next ten years, further taxing an already over-stressed system. "Every day that Congress postpones this legislation is another day airline passengers will be waiting for hours to get where they need to be," continued Ms. Hanni.

The Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights (CAPBOR) is the largest non-profit airline passenger consumer group in the U.S. with over 21,600 members. For additional information email kate@flyersrights.com or mark@flyersrights.com or go to http://www.flyersrights.org. Our 24/7 hotline number is 1-877-FLYERS6.