Coalition calls on Congress to Stop the Rhetoric and Protect Passengers' Rights

For Immediate Release: July 10, 2007
Kate Hanni: Spokeswoman CAPBOR (707)337-0328

Coalition for Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights Wants Action not Rhetoric from Members of Congress

Coalition Urges Key Members to Keep their Promise to the Flying Public - Give Airline Passengers Legal Rights

Napa Valley, CA (July 9. 2007) – The Coalition for Passengers Bill of Rights (CAPBOR), the fastest growing passengers’ coalition in the country, issues the following statement from its Founder and Executive Director, Kate Hanni.

“The flying public continues to fall victim to a vast rise in episodes of strandings and horrific experiences of being held against their will on major commercial airlines. From the strandings in late December of 2006, which led to the formation of our coalition to the continued and systematic entrapment of tens of thousands passengers for countless hours over the last 7 months, the complete and utter failure of commercial airlines to provide even the most basic levels of customer service to passengers continue to ignite shock and anger. As we have stated too many times in the past, enough is enough - the flying public deserves better from the airlines.

Congress has also joined our efforts. The House and Senate have included language in recent bills that are aimed at protecting the flying public from the traumatic situations that we are all too familiar with.
We commend the efforts of Senator Boxer, Senator Snowe & Senator Lautenberg. In the house of Representatives Mike Thompson has shown tremendous leadership and a great sense of commitment to passengers’ rights.
Although these actions are an important step in the right direction, Congressional rhetoric alone will not suffice. We need more members of Congress to weigh in on this important legislation and make sure the flying public remains on the forefront of the Congressional agenda. We cannot and should not be forgotten.

Given the importance of our mission to ensure that no other passengers are ever stranded, trapped or abandoned, we call on every member of the Senate and House Transportation Committee and their Honorable Chairs to keep their word and honor their commitments. Furthermore, we urge all Members of Congress to join our efforts and protect the flying public.”

We also need to call to action consumers to call on their members of Congress and say “enough is enough”. “We are tired of the long hot travel season from hell and we want passengers rights legislation that is meaningful, not empty promises”. Call 202-224-3121 for your member of Congress today and go to http://www.flyersrights.com/ and sign our petition to get involved and fight for your rights.

The Coalition for an Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights’ efforts have well paid off since the beginning of its mission. The number of voices that have joined the coalition’s efforts in support of an Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights continues to grow at a feverish pace. We now proudly count on the support of 16,000 members, which believes as we do that the commercial airlines have an obligation to provide passengers with basic rights and legal recourse with strong protections.

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Coalition for an Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights is the largest grassroots airline passengers’ rights organization in the country with 16,068 members to date. We also include ACAP, USPIRG, Consumer Federation of America and Public Citizen as Consumer Organizations. In addition we have been joined by the United Flight Attendants and United Airline Pilots Association in support of our Legislation as we proposed it. Our Coalition discovered that the DOT wasn’t counting Diverted or Cancelled Flights for Time on the Tarmac and we have initiated a 6 month report card for the airlines with the worst Strandings record and worst customer service issues.

Hotline Number: 1-877-Flyers-6

You will get an answering machine and instructions for what to do when stranded. We will answer your questions to the best of our ability about other issues. If your baggage is lost, unfortunately the airlines end up selling your bags at http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/ . You can go there to view your precious items. It this bothers you CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND ASK THEM TO INCLUDE OUR BAGGAGE CLAUSE IN THE BILL. At this point our baggage clause has been ignored by Congress.

We are here for you. We will do our best. We are a non-profit and need your donations in order to keep afloat. Airline miles, cash (every dollar helps), hotel points etc.

Your Fearless Leader,

Kate Hanni, Founder
CAPBOR