Quote:
Originally Posted by Silent Bob
I wouldn't wanna be on a plane in excess of 3 hours. But when it comes to compensation, I think there is where you hit a stop because no one can agree on just what kind of compensation is due. You say heavy, but just how heavy, give us an example.
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I am talking about the situation where the airline forces passengers to stay on board an aircraft standing on the tarmac. Maybe passengers would be able to tolerate an hour or two delay if they were in the terminal building.
In this case, once the pilot says that the delay would be an hour, passengers should be free to say, I would like to return to the terminal. the crew should then contact the staff at the terminal who should arrange for passengers to get off.
I have been told by someone who works in the legal department of one airport authority, that an airline would have have to pay an additional fee to the airport, if an aircraft having pulled away from the gate, returns to drop off its passengers into the terminal building. I don't know if this applies to Unites States airports, but it would be at least an inconvenience to the airline to deboard and reboard the passengers. But so what?
Which is worse? The passengers who have to remain stuck in an aircraft, and we read that in 2007 this went on for 9 and 10 hours already, or the inconvenience to the airline to deboard and reboard passengers. I know for sure that airports have buses that go out to tarmac to bring passengers in when they need to. I have seen this in effect at JFK.
The right not be imprisoned against one's wishes is a more fundamental right than can be provided in any airline passengers bill of rights. The right to liberty is a right guaranteed in most constitutions including the U.S. When you board an aircraft you are consenting to be in their aircraft on the understanding that it will take off in a reasonable time. Boarding time is usually 30 minutes before departure, sometimes less. So if the pilot says that its going to be at least an hour, you should be able to say, I want to get off until you are ready to leave. I know Mr PHX will say I'd like to stay because I can use my cellphone and laptop while stuck here.
At that point in time you do not consent to be sitting in the aircraft, and to further keep you there amounts to wrongly imprisoning you.
If I was this OP and was made to sit in a cramped aircraft for two hours, I would want to be compensated by at least two or three hundred dollars. One good day when this kind of thing happens, passengers bill or rights or not, a passenger will bring a class action suit claiming false imprisonment in a aircraft for himself and other passengers so imprisoned. Then we will see the US supreme Court deciding what if any kind of award to make.
This kind of thing only started two or three years ago. I know about lengthy days in years past, but as far as I am aware, these delays always took place with passengers off the aircraft. I think what has happened is that in an effort to save the cost of putting up passengers in hotels and providing them with meal vouchers during the delay, airlines have started this practice of making passengers board, knowing full well they can't take off for hours, and then keeping them on the tarmac.