Coalition Commends House Transportation Committee Chair Oberstar

For Immediate Release: Contact: Gil Meneses – 202-445-1570

Coalition for Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights Commends House Transportation Committee Chair James Oberstar for Demanding Stricter Oversight into Passenger Mistreatment and Lack of Customer Service by Airlines Industry

Fastest Growing Airline Passenger Coalition Calls on Congress to Make Passengers Bill of Rights a Necessary Component of FAA Reauthorization

Napa Valley, CA. (March 26, 2007) – The Coalition for Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights” (PBOR), the fastest growing coalition of airline passengers in the country, issued the following statement from its spokesperson Kate Hanni on reports that House Transportation Committee Chair James Oberstar is demanding greater accountability and stricter oversight of passenger mistreatment and lack of customer service by the airline industry.

“We applaud Chair Committee Oberstar for his continued efforts to improve customer service by the airline industry and protect the well-being and welfare of the flying public. Stricter oversight and greater accountability are just what the airlines need in order to meet the very basic level of customer service, yet they continue to fail at this miserably.

The airlines have had seven years to improve the way in which in which they treat passengers and improve their customer service. It’s seven years later and they have demonstrated their unwillingness and inability to police themselves and make passengers their top priority.

As Congress looks to reauthorize FAA funding this year, they should be using this opportunity to ensure that airlines make passengers’ rights a necessary part of FAA reauthorization.

The airlines are currently trying to push through a proposal for FAA reauthorization that will award them big giveaway and reduce Congressional oversight over our air traffic control system. The last thing that they need is to be rewarded with another million-dollar tax break and less accountability to consumers and Congress.