To the Congress of the United States

Please support the Airline Passenger Bill Of Rights in Congress, which must become a part of Federal Law to provide permanent protections for airline passengers.

We are committed to solutions promoting airline passenger policies that advance the safety of all passengers while not imposing unrealistic economic burdens that adversely affect airline profitability or create exorbitant ticket price increases.

Public law must include provisions to protect passengers against tarmac delays in excess of three hours, including those on international flights; ensuring their basic human needs are met during long on ground delays. It must also protect passenger safety by mandating minimum seat pitch standards to preclude ingress/egress and health issues, protect travelling infants and small children by mandating airline acceptance of FAA-certified child seats and provision for their use on all flights, and protect unaccompanied minor air travellers by requiring airlines to provide the services and protections they promise in their Contract of Carriage.

Public law must also address fee and passenger compensation issues, including requiring transparency of all unbundled, ancillary fees, mandating prompt refunds of baggage fees for delayed, lost, damaged or pilfered baggage; and prompt compensation for missing or damaged contents, and requiring refunds of taxes, PFCs, and surcharges for non-refundable tickets when flights are cancelled. Moreover, public law must mandate increased compensation for involuntary “bumping”; and the airlines’ ability to oversell seats.

We also ask that Congress address administrative issues that currently limit passenger rights. We request laws that require response to passenger complaints within seven days and adequate resolution within ten days, publication of DOT contact information and a consumer hotline telephone number on airline tickets, creation of an advisory committee to be appointed by the Secretary of Transportation and composed of airline employees, consumer advocates, and government officials to inform the Secretary on airline passenger issues.

Finally, we ask that Congress require airports (large, medium, and small) to maintain contingency plans for long on ground delays, including emergency stores of food and potable water for stranded passengers, and that Congress require airlines to report long ground delays for flights on aircraft of 30 or more seats to the DOT for inclusion in the BTS and RITA databases.

By signing this petition, you opt to receive e-mails from Flyersrights.org and become a member at no cost to you. If you wish to become a member but do not wish to be contacted, please say that in the remarks section of the submission form.

 Sincerely,

Sponsor

Links