Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: James T. Crouse
Profession: Aviation Accident Attorney

Category: Airline Travel

Well, that's hard to determine, especially if you have been herded onto your flight which, for some unforeseen reason, is not going to take off on schedule and you are kept in your "pen" for hours and hours with no chance of escape.
Frieda understands the "unexpected" really can happen preventing ontime departure - weather being the #1 reason. We are all well aware of the horrors of those "penned in" on JetBlue during the February blizzard and Royal Air Maroc airlines a month later keeping all on board for over 16 hours before canceling the flight. Frieda doesn't want to take off under adverse conditions, neither does she want to be held hostage and treated more like herded cattle than a human being.

Another cause can be traffic problems - which can be the result of delays creating a huge line of planes waiting for takeoff (resulting from heaven knows what and creating headaches all over the airborne world) or onsite airport construction - a surprise?. The one that really confuses me is having to wait on the tarmac because there is another plane at my gate - WHAT? didn't they know I was coming? I knew two whole months ago when I booked my flight - why didn't someone tell the airport?

The customer's first expectation is to leave on time and to arrive on time. When this doesn't happen - never mind the reason - Frieda realizes the airline is not dealing with a happy bunch of people. Should the airlines return to the gate after a certain amount of time (losing their place in line for takeoff and possibly inciting rage in passengers which will be passed on to the airline employs in the terminal) or should the passengers be kept "herded" on board the plane for extraordinary amounts of time (definitely inciting the rage of all aboard, running out of food, drink (we can't bring our own), toilet paper, and possibly causing serious health risks)? It this really is a no-win situation for the airlines or a result of not being proactive, not taking charge, and not doing the right thing for their "valued" customers? Is a governmental Passenger's Bill of Rights the way to go. Somehow Frieda thinks not - this will be just another piece of useless legislation putting the government in charge of something the airlines could and should be doing on their own - the airlines know what goes on and what needs to be done more than an elected government official who has no "hands on" knowledge on the "how to" other than how to make himself/herself look good to the voting public by demanding this problem be solved.

Frieda is sure there is more to this than meets her eye. Running life on schedule and without a hitch is a grueling task - ask any mother who has - or ever has had - an active family. First there's getting everyone out the door in the morning, getting herself dressed, taking the dog for a walk, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, going to the grocery store, picking up husband's suit from the cleaners, keeping forgotten appointments made weeks ago - kids home from school - then the real rat race starts - snacks, sports, piano lessons, scouts, and whatever else kids are doing these days, etc, etc. All done and finally a few minutes to rest when the sound of the garage door opening permeates the house and she hears, "Hi honey, I'm home, smells good - what's for dinner?"

Now we can add to this day the "unexpected" - bringing sick child home from school, delivering a forgotten item to school or work, emergency visit to the vet, having to call the plumber, electrician, or the "critter gitter" for the mouse seen in the kitchen, a friend or family member needing help, a fender bender with the car, etc - she's home (albeit with a few minor adjustments) in time to hear her husband's arrival at his "gate", "Honey, I'm home, smells good - what's for dinner?"

All this done without a Bill of Rights of any kind and at no time were those in her care "penned up" for long periods of time without food and water while she figured out what to do! Hummmm. . .