Coalition for “Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights” Outraged by Latest Series of Passengers Stranded Aboard Several American Airlines Jets in Austin

Press Statement

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

Coalition for “Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights” Outraged by Latest Series of Passengers Stranded Aboard Several American Airlines Jets in Austin – Held Against Their Will for Up to Six Hours
“Airlines Continue to Defy the Will of the Flying Public, the Federal Government and Members of Congress Who are Fed up with Continuous Lies and Deceptive Tactics. The time for Congress to Pass an Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights is Now,” – Kate Hanni, Founder and Executive Director, PBOR.

Napa Valley, CA. (April 25, 2007) – The Coalition for “Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights” (PBOR) issued the following statement from its founder and executive director, Kate Hanni, on reports that passengers aboard several American Airlines flights were trapped for up to six hours at Austin and San Antonio airports on Tuesday. Passenger accounts indicate similar instances of food and water quickly running out, as well as intolerable conditions as a result of unusable toilets.

“On behalf of our 15,000 members worldwide, words cannot begin to describe the outrage and indignation felt after hearing reports of the latest passenger strandings aboard American Airlines jets in Austin. For the flying public it’s deja-vu – no food, no running water, unusable toilets that make six hours trapped on a plane an intolerable and unbearable experience. For the airlines, this is just more of the same utter disregard for the flying public and the will of the federal government and Members of Congress who are demanding that the airlines stop lying to passengers and end their deceptive tactics.

We are encouraged by the Department of Transportation’s plan to investigate the airlines’ unrealistic scheduling and hiding of delay information. These efforts are necessary to prevent additional passengers from becoming trapped victims aboard airplanes as a result of this chronic problem. The airlines must realize that the federal government and Congress are demanding accountability and taking the necessary steps to protect the flying public.

We also applaud the DOT Inspector General’s efforts to enforce laws requiring airlines to publish information on flights that are ‘chronically late’. Airlines must be made to comply with the federal requirements to provide a flight’s on-time performance when requested by a customer.”
###

Kate Hanni to Testify Tommorow Before The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Aviaton

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

Washington, DC (April 19, 2007) – Spokeswoman and Founder, Kate Hanni, of The Coalition for an “Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights” (PBOR) will testify tomorrow before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Aviation in a hearing concerning Aviation Consumer Issues. Hanni will discuss her experience and that of hundreds of other passengers stranded 9 hours aboard several American Airlines flights in December 2006.

WHO: Kate Hanni, Spokeswoman and Founder, PBOR

WHAT: Testimony before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Aviation; Hearing – Airline Consumer Issues.

WHEN: Friday, April 20th
Time: 10:00 am EDT

WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building RHOB - 2167

Any questions, call Gil Meneses at 202-445-1570.

House Aviation Subcommittee Hearing April 20th, 10:00 a.m.

We need you to show your support in DC on April 20th at 10:00 a.m. At this point the deck is stacked against us with a lineup of testimony that includes Kevin Mitchell of the defunded Business Travel Coalition, ATA James May, ASTA who has already stated they think we should remain inside the plane on the tarmac for 8 hours and only move the plane if the flow of traffice isn't disrupted, and Jet Blue who clearly is against legislation. I'm the only True Airline Passengers' Consumer Advocate on the panel. By your attending and wearing our newly created Passengers' Bill of Rights Button you will be letting them know we aren't going to take it any more. The location is in room 2167 of the Rayburn Building (HOB). Be there and BE COUNTED!

We need you to attend the Senate Aviation Subcommittee Hearings April 11th, 2:30 pm, Russell Bldg.Washing DC

Kate will be testifying and representing the hundreds of thousands of people who've been stranded on tarmacs, had missing or damaged luggage, flight delays that weren't reported, frequent flyer miles swallowed up by the airlines, abandoned by airlines completely in the wrong airport, and all of the proposed items on our Airline Bill of Rights April 11th, 2007; but Kate needs your help. The Senators show up if people show up and Cameras show up if people show up, so PEOPLE>>>>>SHOW UP IF YOU CAN POSSIBLY DO SO. This is our moment in the sun. Our time to speak out. Let your voice be heard by sheer numbers and volumes of you showing up and showing your support in DC. 100 People is what we need for a Home RUN. LETS make it a Grand Slam and go for 200...that way we will have people flowing into the halls and that brings the media out in droves. With 15000 people in our Coalition now, surely we can get 200 to the Hearings!!!

Coalition for Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights Reacts to Annual Airline Quality Rating Report

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

Congress Must Step in to Safeguard the Well-Being of Passengers
and Make them a Priority

Napa Valley, CA. (April 2, 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 today’s release of the Annual Airline Quality Rating Report (AQR), which points to more delays and an overall decline in airline customer service.

“These latest AQR findings once again highlight the need for a comprehensive Passengers’ Bill of Rights that will guarantee basic rights and standards to passengers. As the AQR points out, bumped passengers, flight delays and lost bags have become the order of the day for anyone who takes to the sky for personal or business reasons. An airline spokesperson even admitted today that these problems will not improve, stating that ‘we’re going to see more delays, and those delays translate to cancellations, mishandled bags and unhappy passengers.’ These admissions by the very own airlines are simply astonishing following the hundreds of thousands of passengers left stranded at major airports over the last three months

As a result, after years of broken promises and declining customer service, Congress must now step up and use FAA reauthorization to ensure that airlines make passengers’ rights a top priority once and for all. The last thing that we should do is provide more giveaways to the airlines and less accountability to consumers and Congress. In addition the airlines’ plan for reauthorization would wrongly slash funds by $600 million, jeopardizing efforts to modernize our air traffic control system.

The flying public needs a voice and legal recourse. For the last eight years and longer, the airlines have had the opportunity to make good on their promises to improve customer service and ensure basic rights for passengers. It’s time for Congress to ensure that airlines make passengers their top priority.”

###