FlyersRights.org Airs Ad During Obama's Martha's Vineyard Visit

FlyersRights.org Airs Ad During Obama's Martha's Vineyard Visit

Citizen-Activist Kate Hanni Available for Interviews Monday


NAPA, Calif., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama arrives for a much-deserved vacation on Martha's Vineyard today, but he'll be greeted by a message from FlyersRights.org reminding him of his support for the Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights.


"We're closer to protecting airline passengers than ever before," said Kate Hanni, who founded 26,000-member FlyersRights.org after she and her family were stuck on the tarmac in Austin for 9 hours in 2006.


"We're coming to Martha's Vineyard to remind the President of his co-sponsorship of the legislation when he was a Senator and to ask him to support us as President."


The bipartisan Boxer-Snowe Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights was approved unanimously by the Senate Commerce Committee in July, and is expected to be taken up by the Senate next month.


Besides allowing passengers to get off stranded aircraft after 3 hours on the tarmac, it would require airlines to provide adequate food, water, toilet facilities and temperature controls.


In addition, noted Hanni, "The bill will shine the light on the airlines' hidden nickel-and-dime fees and charges, and force the airlines to inform you if the flight you're about to book is chronically delayed or cancelled."


Hanni credited her group's progress this year to a number of recent high-profile tarmac delays, including 278 flights stuck on the tarmac for longer than 3 hours in June alone, nearly 10 every day.


The spot will air on cable television on Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Cape Cod throughout the week of the First Family's visit.


The text of the ad, which includes photos of actual tarmac strandings and headlines describing some of the worst such incidents, reads as follows:


"Mr. President, my name is Kate Hanni. I founded FlyersRights.org after my family and I were stranded on the tarmac in 2006 for 9 hours. Since then, it's happened to passengers on at least 3,000 flights. Imagine what it's like: no food, no water, toilets overflowing. As a Senator, you co-sponsored the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights. Please, sir, urge Congress to pass it. And sign it into law. Enough is enough." Link to Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYHQByjtnAY



Ms. Hanni will be available for interviews and appearances on the Vineyard on Monday. To book her, contact Kate Hanni, 707-337-0328, or Mike Collins Public Relations at 202-494-6105 or email mikecollinspr@cox.net.