US Government Will Fine Airlines That Hold Passengers For Too Long
Airline passengers have long complained of being held on airplanes because of delays. Sometimes the communication is so poor that passengers become enraged, fatigued and frightened. On a recent JetBlue flight to Cancun, passengers were stuck for several hours without any type of refreshments. The Obama administration has decided to fine airlines to the tune of $27,000 per passengers if it is found that they were held on board airplanes without food or water for more than two hours.
Of course, both passengers and the federal government understand that delays are unavoidable. The main problem stems from the fact that travel during the winter months and inclement weather can ground airplanes for several hours at a time. Many airlines would rather delay takeoff than cancel flights altogether, and if a plane has already boarded then the passengers are just stuck.
Airlines are not happy about the new rules. According to some airline representatives, the fines are so steep that the entire industry would have to go through a change. On the other hand, airline passenger
rights advocates couldn’t be more pleased. For years, passengers have forced to sit on airplanes and suffer in poor conditions. Some passengers on board these flights have had their medical conditions exasperated by lengthy delays.
Although airlines try to do everything within their power to avoid delays, they will need to work even harder to keep their passengers safe and comfortable. As several airline companies are already struggling to stay afloat, a series of delayed flights could cause them to fall into dire straights.
