Aug
18
Airline Passengers Are Starting to Riot! - Continental Flight 1669
Filed Under Continental, News, Video
The summer of airline delays has definitely lived up to its title of the worst summer ever for airline passengers. People are being stuck on airplanes that are still on the tarmac for hours on end due to weather and storms. The government is trying to work out a law for airlines as to what needs to happen to limit these occurrences. New York is the first state to have a law protecting airline passengers as to how long they can be stranded on an airplane.
The New York Airline Passenger law requires that airlines at New York airports provide snacks and water, fresh air and working restrooms to passengers when flights are delayed more than three hours. Failure to do so can result in fines to the airline of up to $1,000 per passenger.
One of the more recent stories I have read is about 120 passengers on Continental Flight 1669 on July 19, 2007 which was on it’s way to Newark, NY and diverted due to weather to Baltimore Washington International Airport. The passengers were stranded on the plane for hours and were not able to get off because it was an international flight. All the passengers on the flight started to riot by banging on overheads, clapping their hands, and signing a petition to be let off. They said the conditions were hellish! From a passenger:
“We were not provided with food,” said passenger Caroline Murray. “There were passengers who were ill. There was one woman who was diabetic. There was a pregnant woman with small children. It was shocking to me.”
After they were removed from the airplane, their troubles didn’t stop there. They were escorted off in a single file line along the wall, flanked by armed officers one of whom had an attack dog. Talk about a trip you will never forget!
Flying is not getting to be enjoyable to anyone anymore. The headaches passengers have to deal range from weather, maintenance, crew shortages/rest, sitting on the tarmac for hours, and the biggest one security.
Are we ever going to get back to people being able to enjoy one of the most spectacular things on earth called flight? It is one of those things that time will tell, but at this rate, I don’t see it happening anytime in the future!
Here is the video from Good Morning America’s report on Continental Flight 1669 from Venezuela to the US. They were stranded on the airplane for 9 hours
It’s ridiculous what we (passengers) have to go through sometimes… and you’re right, flying is not as enjoyable as it used to be.
Well put Isreal!
Before 9/11 I don’t recall airline travel being quite so… tedious? Now there’s a whole new dimension to it, and that is a security aspect that was never present quite so noticeably before.
I can remember as a kid of 9 or 10 basically being allowed on and off the plane at will while they were still at the gate. Now as an adult of 33 I don’t seem to have nearly that freedom I once did. That’s true of everyone, and like I pointed out a lot of it has to do with 9/11 in my opinion.
I don’t like it, I think it’s basically completely unAmerican, BUT there’s a balancing act. As long as nothing happens we can sit around complaining about it all we want. The moment something happens because these overbearing rules are relaxed the American public will be screaming for the head of whoever relaxed them.
It’s a no win situation. As a passenger I want my freedoms back without all the baggage. As an American I expect my government to take the necessary precautions without infringing on my “rights”. As a human I expect that some element of common sense is displayed by all parties involved.
The longest I’ve ever been stranded was for 3.5 hours sitting on the tarmac at Logan. It wasn’t pleasant by any means so I can only imagine what 9 hours would have been like
Once again, we hear another horror story about passengers stuck on an airplane for endless hours, with no answers as to what is happening. There is something wrong with a system that allows this to happen, and it should be fixed. However, is anyone really surprised? There are two factors at work here that unless address, will result in continued occurrences of stranded travelers. First, there is the odds factor. If there is only one plane stranded per every 1000 flights, a company will figure the cost to help fix the problem against the cost of the stranded flight and if the results show it is better to pay out for the occasional bad press, we won’t see a change. So the airlines must be committed to making the change. The second, and more important factor, is that we, as the flying public, must also make a change. We demand cheap tickets and more flights with better options. We also want lower taxes. Then we go and demand more service. Its always about demanding more but paying less. Changing the system to prevent this from happening will come with costs - to improved airport facilities, improved air traffic control, additional space for parking, increased security, added parking fees for airlines, etc. Who is going to pay for all of this? We, the flying public, need to step up to the plate and finally say “We demand better service and we are willing to pay for it to get it!”
Oh, and what about the flight crews and other airline employees. Flight attendants and pilots have taken enormous paycuts (up to 40% in some cases) to save these airlines struggling with bankruptcy. Do you think they want to be stuck on an aircraft, unpaid for their time, with angry passengers? What about customer service agents, with no control over airline operations, being yelled at harshly by irate, demanding passengers? The only prospect they face is being outsourced to contract employees or being replaced by computers. So much for job security and satisfaction. We all understand that traveling can be frustrating but it is for employees as well. Spread some good will and it will be returned to you.