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The Late Show Sept. 14, 2016 The airlines reported a total of 21 major tarmac delays for July. For domestic flights there were 11 delays of more than three hours. For international flights there were 10 delays of more than four hours according to a US Department of Transportation (DOT) report released yesterday.  All extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department. Also, the Department received 1,963 complaints about airline service from consumers last month. Pushing the Envelope This may be the highest number of tarmac delays since the FlyersRights' rule was enacted by the DOT in 2009. Consequently, we plan on issuing a public statement calling on the DOT to provide appropriate fines, compensation and swiftly identify the incidents and the airlines involved. We also plan on filing a Freedom of Information Act request, with a copy to the Congressional oversight and aviation committees. These DOT rules are meant to promise relief from airline maltreatment and protect passengers' rights. They set a fixed limit on the time airlines can keep passengers onboard a delayed flight, and specify what the airlines must provide within two hours of a tarmac delay to make passengers as comfortable as possible. Otherwise heavy fines are levied on airlines who don't comply.  Curtains Closed Airlines Divide Coach Cabins Along Invisible Lines  The slicing and dicing of airline seats continues, and it goes way beyond shrinking legroom, said  NBC News earlier this week .  Legacy airlines are incrementally  breaking down their coach tickets into components and creating new tiers of monetization.  This new area of  pricing and value is made possible by advanced reservation-system computerization. The airlines are determining costs on amenities such as the option to choose your seat or fly standby, basics that had until recently been part of the ticket. For example, Delta has five cabin classes, but it has far more than five fare classes. For each cabin class, there are a multitude of fare classes with differing booking (and rebooking) restrictions.  Previously, FlyersRights  lampooned Delta's latest creation as a ' Last Class', also known as Delta's Basic Economy fare, which doesn't allow for ticket changes or a seat selection  - even with a fee.  So, the question becomes: How shall we name the airlines' new class levels? A few that come to mind are: Last-Last Class, Bottom Class, Cattle Class, Baggage Class, Pilgrim Class or *drumroll*,  Steerage! * Remember, write your congressman and senator about horrible flight experiences, file complaints with the DOT and copy us at FlyersRights.org. Read & Sign our New Petition! REINSTATING THE RECIPROCITY RULE  Getting on a Plane?  Put This Number in Your Phone: 1 (877) Flyers6   1 (877) 359-3776 The FlyersRights HOTLINE! Get our newsletters!   WE NEED YOUR HELP! - Please Support Us  Follow FlyersRights on Twitter