Some recommendations by FlyersRights.org and Aviation Consumer Action Project (ACAP), Ignored by US DOT Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection in October 22, 2012 Report
2) Minimum reserves of airline equipment and staffing and meaningful plans for service disruptions.
3) Passenger compensation for excessive flight delays, cancellations and tarmac confinements over 3 hours.
4) Passengers to have practical, prompt and low cost means for consumer claims against airlines, by being decided in local or state small claims courts or by arbitration without transfer to US District Courts.
5) End to deceptive and costly flight insurance being sold by airlines to passengers.
6) Bringing airlines under the Uniform Abandoned Property Act for lost baggage which requires diligent attempts to return unclaimed property to its rightful owner, and if that is not possible for proceeds from sale of property to be transferred to an abandoned property trust fund where owners of the property can recover the proceeds of sale of their property in perpetuity and the fund can otherwise be used by government for programs to reduce the incidence of lost baggage and for passenger assistance in recovering lost baggage, instead to airlines selling lost baggage for their own profit with little effort to return baggage if ID tags are missing.
7) Reforms to reduce theft by airline/airport/TSA employees of passenger property and for recovery and compensation to victimized passengers.
8) Unbundling of DOT baggage reports to provide greater disclosure.
9) Reform and greater disclosure requirements of airline frequent flyer programs to prevent abuses and deceptive or unfair practices, and for dispute resolution of passenger complaints and claims.
10) Reform of bumping report by requiring greater detail.
11) Clarification of pre-emption statute (Airline Deregulaiton Act of 1978) as it applies passenger remedies for violation of various DOT regulations which is used by airlines to remove lawsuits from state and local small claims courts to federal courts where cases are dismissed or result in litigation expenses far in excess of consumer claim amounts.
12) Real time emergency hotline(s) for passengers operated by DOT or contracting organizations.
13) Funding for non-profit airline passenger organizations and for their expenses in attending DOT/FAA meetings and events.
14) Reform and greater passenger input re TSA practices and for complaint resolution.
15) End to DOT/FAA use of secretive all industry groups (known as ARCs) to advise FAA and DOT in violation of the Open Meetings Law and the Federal Advisory Committee Act requiring public representation on committees advising federal agencies on rulemaking, and public policies, requiring DOT/FAA to rule on rule making petitions within a set timeframe, and cease unregulated and often undisclosed indefinite waivers or exemptions for airlines to comply with safety or consumer regulations.
